Delaware (IPA: /'d?l?w??r/) is a
state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of
the United States.[4] The state is named after Delaware Bay and
River, which were named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618).[5]
Population estimates by the Census Bureau for 2005 place the population
of Delaware at 843,524. Despite ranking 45th in population, it is
the seventh most densely populated state, with a population density
of 320 more people per square mile than the national average, ranking
ahead of states such as Florida, California, and Texas.[6]
Contents [hide]
1 State symbols
2 Geography
2.1 Topography
2.2 Climate
3 History
3.1 Native Americans
3.2 Colonial Delaware
3.3 American Revolution
3.4 Slavery and race
4 Demographics
4.1 Languages
4.2 Religion
5 Economy
6 Transportation
6.1 Roads
6.2 Ferries
6.3 Rail and bus
6.4 Air
7 Law and government
7.1 Legislative branch
7.2 Judicial branch
7.3 Executive branch
8 Municipalities
8.1 Counties
8.2 Cities
8.3 Towns
8.4 Towns (cont.)
8.5 Villages
8.6 Unincorporated places
8.7 Top 10 richest places in Delaware
9 Education
9.1 Colleges and universities
10 Miscellaneous topics
10.1 Media
10.2 Tourism
10.3 Festivals
10.4 Sports
10.5 Delaware Native Americans
10.6 Namesakes
11 See also
12 References
13 External links
[edit] State symbols
Main article: 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 state seal
and the 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 ratify the United
States Constitution.[7] Commemorating Delaware's ratification, Constitution
Park (one block from where Dover's Golden Fleece Tavern once stood)
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 Revolutionary War
soldiers for cockfighting[8], and the "Diamond State".[9]
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"[10]
and the nickname of the University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens.
Along with other traditional symbols such as an official state tree
(the American holly) and flower (the peach blossom), legislature
has adopted the Delaware Diamond, the first star on the International
Star Registry ever to be registered to an American State.
[edit] Geography
Map of DelawareDelaware 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, and these small 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,
a geographical unit stretching far 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, and is referred to as the Twelve-Mile
Circle. This is the only true-arc political boundary in the United
States. This border extends all of the way to the low-tide mark
on the New Jersey shore, which continues down 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. A portion of this arc extends
into Maryland to the west, and the remaining western border is a
tangent to this arc that runs a bit to the east. The Wedge of land
between 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, Kent County and Sussex.See also: List of counties in
Delaware
Main articles: Twelve-Mile Circle, The Wedge, Mason-Dixon line,
Transpeninsular Line
[edit] Topography
Delaware is on a level plain; the highest elevation, located at
Ebright Azimuth, near Concord High School, Wilmington, does not
even rise 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
falling into Chesapeake Bay in the west.
[edit] 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. Furthermore, 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 these 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.
[edit] History
Main article: History of Delaware
[edit] 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.
[edit] Colonial Delaware
The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in present-day Delaware
by establishing a trading post at Zwaanendael, near the site of
Lewes in 1631. Within a year all the settlers were killed in a dispute
with area Indian tribes. In 1638, a Swedish trading post and colony
was established at Fort Christina (now in Wilmington) by Dutchman
Peter Minuit at the head of a group of Swedes, 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, 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 expedition under the direction of 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, 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.
[edit] American Revolution
Like the other middle colonies, the Lower Counties on the Delaware
initially showed little enthusiasm for a break with 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. Nevertheless, there was
strong objection to the seemingly arbitrary measures of Parliament,
and it was well understood that the territory's very 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,
became the "Penman of the Revolution." Anticipating the
Declaration of Independence, Patriot leaders Thomas McKean and Caesar
Rodney convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated
from British and Pennsylvania rule on June 15, 1776, but the person
best representing Delaware's majority, 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 Chickens." In August 1777,
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 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 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 portion of the population, particularly in
Sussex County. Only the repeated military activities of State President
Caesar Rodney were able to control them.
Following the American Revolution, statesmen from Delaware were
among the leading proponents of a strong central United States government
with equal representation for each state. Once the Connecticut Compromise
was reached—creating a U.S. Senate and 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.
[edit] Slavery and race
Many colonial settlers came from Maryland and Virginia which had
been experiencing a population boom. The economies of these colonies
were largely based on tobacco and were increasingly dependent on
slave labor. Most of the English colonists arrived as indentured
servants, 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 slaves 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 free or servant white
women and enslaved, servant or free African or African-American
men.[11] As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased
with improving economic conditions in England, more slaves were
imported. The economy's early growth and prosperity was based on
slave labor, devoted first to the production of tobacco.
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 was less labor intensive, the efforts
of local Methodists and Quakers to encourage manumission, and greater
governmental regulation were all factors. Attempts to abolish slavery
failed by narrow margins in the legislature. Nonetheless, by the
1860 census there were only about 1,800 slaves among a total population
of 90,000 in the state. There were nearly 20,000 free African Americans.
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.
The oldest black church in the country was chartered in Delaware
by former slave Peter Spencer in 1813 as the "Union Church
of Africans." This is now the the A.U.M.P. Church. The Big
August Quarterly began in 1814 and is the oldest such cultural festival
in the country.
During the American Civil War, Delaware was a slave state that
remained in the Union (Delaware voted not to secede on January 3,
1861). Delaware had been the first state to embrace the Union by
ratifying the constitution and would be the last to leave it, according
to Delaware's governor at the time. 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 not
to assemble Confederate regiments or militia groups on its own.
Delaware Population Density MapDemographics of Delaware (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native — NHPI is Native
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 77.65% 20.28% 0.79% 2.43% 0.09%
2000 (Hispanic only) 4.10% 0.59% 0.12% 0.04% 0.02%
2005 (total population) 76.01% 21.51% 0.79% 3.01% 0.09%
2005 (Hispanic only) 5.39% 0.58% 0.14% 0.04% 0.02%
Growth 2000–2005 (total population) 5.37% 14.20% 7.91% 33.58%
12.73%
Growth 2000–2005 (non-Hispanic only) 3.36% 14.46% 4.94% 34.00%
15.17%
Growth 2000–2005 (Hispanic only) 41.33% 5.47% 24.81% 8.81%
2.86%
The five largest ancestries in Delaware are: African American (19.2%),
Irish (16.6%), German (14.3%), English (12.1%), Italian (9.3%).
Delaware has the highest proportion of African American residents
of any state north of Maryland, and had the largest population of
free blacks (17%) prior to the Civil War.
The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County,
in the town of Townsend.[12]
[edit] Languages
As of 2000, 90.5% of Delaware residents age 5 and older speak only
English at home; 4.7% speak Spanish. French is the third most spoken
language at 0.7%, followed by Chinese at 0.5% and German at 0.5%.
In 2006, legislation was proposed in Delaware that would designate
English as the official language.[13][14]
[edit] Religion
The religious affiliations of the people of Delaware are:
Methodist – 20%
Baptist – 19%
Roman Catholic – 9%
Lutheran – 4%
Presbyterian – 3%
Pentecostal – 3%
Episcopalian/Anglican - 2%
Seventh-day Adventist - 2%
Churches of Christ - 1%
Other Christian – 3%
Muslim - 2%
Jewish - 1%
Other – 5%
No Religion – 17%
Refused - 9%
(source: American Religious Identification Survey, City University
of New York)
Delaware is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington and
the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. The A.U.M.P. Church, the oldest
African-American denomination in the nation, was founded in Wilmington
and still has a very substantial presence in the state. Delaware
also hosts an Islamic mosque in the Ogletown area, as well as a
Hindu temple in Hockessin.
Delaware is home to approximately 20,000 Jews, who are served by
the Jewish Community Center in Brandywine (outside of 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, and 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.
[edit] Economy
"Picking Peaches in Delaware" from an 1878 issue of Harper's
WeeklyThe gross state product of Delaware in 2003 was $49 billion.
The per capita personal income was $34,199, ranking 9th in the nation.
In 2005, the average weekly wage was $937, ranking 7th in the nation.[15]
Delaware's agricultural output consists of poultry, nursery stock,
soybeans, dairy products and corn. Its industrial outputs include
chemical products, processed foods, 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 (E.I. du Pont de Nemours &
Co.,[16] 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, DaimlerChrysler)
farming, specifically chicken farming in Sussex County (Perdue Farms,
Mountaire Farms)
Dover Air Force Base, located in the state capital of 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 taxes, 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.[17]
[edit] Transportation
Delaware Route 1, a toll road linking Dover and Wilmington.The transportation
system in Delaware is under the governance and supervision of the
Delaware Department of Transportation, also known as "DelDOT".[18][19]
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.
[edit] Roads
One major branch of the U.S. Interstate Highway System, Interstate
95, crosses Delaware southwest-to-northeast across New Castle County.
In addition to I-95, there are six 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 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.
A bicycle route, Delaware Bicycle Route 1, spans the north-south
length of the state from the Maryland border in Fenwick Island to
the Pennsylvania border north of Montchanin. It is the first of
several signed bike routes planned in Delaware.[20]
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 is 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.
[edit] 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.
Three Forts Ferry Crossing connects Delaware City with Fort Delaware
and Fort Mott in New Jersey
[edit] Rail and bus
A Norfolk Southern locomotive in Dover.Amtrak has two stations in
Delaware along the Northeast Corridor; the relatively quiet Newark
Rail Station in Newark, and the busier Wilmington Rail Station in
Wilmington. The Northeast Corridor is also served by SEPTA's R2
Regional Rail line, which serves Claymont, Wilmington, 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.
[edit] Air
Delaware is the only state in the country without commercial air
service. On June 29, 2006, Atlantic Southeast Airline, a subsidiary
of Delta Air Lines, began two-a-day flights between Atlanta's Hartsfield
International to New Castle Airport.[21] However, the flights ended
on September 6, 2007. This is temporary as Skybus Airlines has announced
that it will commence service between its Columbus, OH and Greensboro,
NC focus cities starting in March of 2008 to serve the Philadelphia,
PA area from New Castle Airport.[22]
[edit] Law and government
Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic
2004 45.75% 171,660 53.35% 200,152
2000 41.90% 137,288 54.96% 180,068
1996 36.58% 99,062 51.82% 140,955
1992 35.33% 102,313 43.52% 126,054
1988 55.88% 139,639 43.48% 108,647
1984 59.78% 152,190 39.93% 101,656
1980 47.21% 111,252 44.87% 105,754
1976 46.57% 109,831 51.98% 122,596
1972 59.60% 140,357 39.18% 92,283
1968 45.12% 96,714 41.61% 89,194
1964 38.78% 78,078 60.95% 122,704
1960 49.00% 96,373 50.63% 99,590
Delaware's fourth and current constitution, adopted in 1897, provides
for executive, judicial and legislative branches.
[edit] Legislative branch
Delaware General Assembly consists of a House of Representatives
with 41 members and a 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.
[edit] 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
Chancery in the nation, which has jurisdiction over equity cases,
the vast majority of which are corporate disputes, many relating
to mergers and acquisitions. The 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.[23]
[edit] 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 Joseph R. Biden,
Jr. (Democrat) and Thomas R. Carper (Democrat). Delaware's single
US Representative is Michael N. Castle (Republican).
Further information: 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 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.[24]
The Democratic Party holds a plurality of registrations in Delaware.
Until the 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
[edit] Municipalities
Wilmington is the state's largest city and its economic hub. It
is located within commuting distance of both Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Despite Wilmington's size, all regions of Delaware are enjoying
phenomenal growth, with Dover and the beach resorts expanding immensely.
Further information: List of Delaware municipalities
[edit] Counties
Kent
New Castle
Sussex
[edit] Cities
Delaware City
Dover
Harrington
Lewes
Milford
New Castle
Newark
Rehoboth Beach
Seaford
Wilmington
[edit] Towns
Bellefonte
Bethany Beach
Bethel
Blades
Bowers
Bridgeville
Camden
Cheswold
Dagsboro
Delmar
Dewey Beach
Ellendale
Elsmere
Farmington
Felton
[edit] Towns (cont.)
Fenwick Island
Frankford
Frederica
Georgetown
Greenwood
Hartly
Henlopen Acres
Houston
Kenton
Laurel
Leipsic
Little Creek
Magnolia
Middletown
Millsboro
Millville
Milton
Newport
Ocean View
Odessa
Selbyville
Slaughter Beach
Smyrna
South Bethany
Townsend
Viola
Woodside
Wyoming
[edit] Villages
Arden
Ardencroft
Ardentown
map of Delaware cities[edit] Unincorporated places
Bear
Brookside
Claymont
Dover Base Housing
Edgemoor
Glasgow
Greenville
Highland Acres
Hockessin
Kent Acres
Long Neck
North Star
Pike Creek
Rising Sun-Lebanon
Riverview
Rodney village
Wilmington Manor
Woodside East
[edit] Top 10 richest places in Delaware
Ranked by per capita income
Greenville: $83,223
Henlopen Acres: $82,091
South Bethany: $53,624
Dewey Beach: $51,958
Fenwick Island: $44,415
Bethany Beach: $41,306
Hockessin: $40,516
North Star: $39,677
Rehoboth Beach: $38,494
Ardentown: $35,577
Further information: Delaware locations by per capita income
[edit] 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 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.
[edit] Colleges and universities
Delaware College of Art and Design
Delaware State University
Delaware Technical & Community College
Drexel University at Wilmington
Goldey-Beacom College
University of Delaware
Wesley College
Widener University School of Law
Wilmington University
[edit] Miscellaneous topics
[edit] 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 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 and Salisbury, Maryland. Salisbury's
CBS affiliate, WBOC-TV, maintains bureaus in Dover and Milton.
[edit] Tourism
While Delaware has no places designated as national parks, national
seashores, national battlefields, national memorials, or national
monuments, it does have several National Historic Landmarks. In
addition, there are a number of other places of interest such as
botanical gardens, museums, wildlife refuges, parks, houses, lighthouses,
and other historic places. Delaware also boasts the longest twin
span suspension bridge in the world.[25] The state was playfully
mocked for its lack of renown as a vacation destination in the movie
Wayne's World and the TV show, The Simpsons.
[edit] Festivals
Main article: Delaware festivals
[edit] Sports
Club Sport League
Wilmington Blue Rocks Baseball Minor League Baseball
Delaware Griffins 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
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.
[edit] Delaware Native Americans
Delaware is also the name of a Native American group (called in
their own name Lenni Lenape) that was very influential in the dawning
days of the United States. A band of the Nanticoke tribe of Indians
still remains in Sussex County.
[edit] Namesakes
CONTACT
msn: milantoplica@hotmail.com or mob: +381
63 427 577
