West States and Capitals

These free west states and capitals worksheets cover all 13 states in the West region, as the U.S. Census Bureau defines it: a study chart, fold-over flash cards, a write-the-capital quiz, matching, multiple choice and postal abbreviations, each with an answer key. Choose the West states, pick the worksheet and print the PDF.

West states and capitals to print (PDF)

These four pages show the west states and capitals worksheets: the study chart, the write-the-capital quiz, the multiple choice quiz and the fold-over flash cards. Click a picture for the PDF, or use the generator above to switch the direction, the number of questions or the paper size.

The 13 West states and their capitals

The Census Bureau divides the 50 states into four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. The West region has 13 states. Here they are in alphabetical order, with the capital, the postal abbreviation, the year the state joined the Union and its nickname:

Wikipedia’s article on the West region has maps and more details.

West region states: the divisions

The Census Bureau splits each region into divisions. The West region has 2:

Learning one division at a time makes the west states and capitals worksheet even smaller, with 8 and 5 states in each part.

West capitals list: a fact for each capital

A fact makes a capital easier to remember than a bare name. This west capitals list gives one for each state:

West states and capitals quiz: what is in the PDF

The generator prints six kinds of worksheet for the West states. This west states and capitals quiz table shows how many pages each one has, including the answer key:

You can switch the quiz to go from the capital to the state, which is harder. The questions can be listed A to Z, by region or shuffled, and the flash cards and chart can be sorted the same way.

How the West states joined the Union

The order in which the states joined is a good way to organize a study of the west region. This table lists the 13 states in the order of statehood:

And this table groups the same states by the period when they joined:

West states worksheet: spelling and pronunciation

The longest state name in the West is California with 10 letters, and the shortest is Utah with 4. The longest capital name is Salt Lake City (12 letters), and the shortest is Boise (5). Only Honolulu starts with the same letter as its state. These are the names that cause the most mistakes:

West capitals named for people

Many capitals are named for people, and a story helps you remember them:

Facts about the West region and its states and capitals

• Alaska is the largest state by area, and California has the most people.
• Hawaii is the only state made up entirely of islands.
• Wyoming has the smallest population of any state.
• Alaska and Hawaii were the last two states, joining in 1959.

West states and capitals: is the capital the biggest city?

The most common mistake in a states and capitals quiz is to write the largest city, because it is the one that people know. In the West region, only 6 of the 13 capitals are also the largest city in their state. Capitals were often chosen for their position, in the middle of the state or between rival towns, and not for their size. This table shows the capital and the largest city of each state, by population:

Cover the capital column and ask the child to name it, then reveal the answer. This works for any states and capitals quiz. The states where the two cities differ are the ones to practice most.

West states and capitals: five quiz tips

1. Start with the map. Find each of the west states on a map first, and then add the capitals. A child who can place Alaska knows where to look for Juneau.
2. Say the pair as one phrase. “Wyoming, Cheyenne” is easier to remember than two separate words.
3. Use the fold-over cards. Look at the state, say the capital, then check the other side. This is the quickest way to learn the west states and capitals.
4. Quiz in both directions. Ask for the capital of Wyoming, then ask which state has Juneau as its capital.
5. Spell the capitals aloud. Capitals with two words, such as Carson City, are often written with only the first word.

A week of practice with the west states and capitals

This plan for the west states and capitals uses one printable a day and takes about ten minutes. It finishes with a quiz that children can score themselves:

Children in grades 3 to 5 usually learn the states and capitals, and learning one region at a time keeps each west states and capitals quiz short.

Printing tip

Print at 100% or “Actual size” and turn off “Fit to page”, so every measurement on the sheet is exact. Choose Letter or A4 paper in the generator before you download the PDF.

West states and capitals: frequently asked questions

Why learn states by region?

Nine to sixteen states at a time is far easier than fifty, and regions match how many classes teach U.S. geography.

Which regions are used?

The four U.S. Census Bureau regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

How many states are in the West region?

There are 13 states in the West region.

Can I quiz from the capital to the state?

Yes. Choose “Capital to state” in the generator for a harder west states and capitals quiz.

Are the west states and capitals worksheets free?

Yes. They are free to print for home and classroom use, with no sign-up.

More states and capitals

• Northeast states and capitals
• Midwest states and capitals
• South states and capitals
• Storyboard template for planning a state report