American capitals: a historical geography - number 247

State capitals are an indelible part of the American psyche, spatial representations of state power and national identity.

Learning them by heart is a rite of passage in grade school, a pedagogical exercise that emphasises the importance of committing place-names to memory.

But geographers have yet to analyse state capitals in any depth.

Christian Montes takes us on a well-researched journey across America, shedding light along the way on the historical circumstances that led to their appointment, their success or failure, and their evolution over time.