Methodology

In order to determine the most important event in the history of each state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed state historical information and media reports of significant events throughout history. 

Many of the events, such as the Jamestown settlement in the area that would eventually become Virginia, occurred before the area was formally established as a state. Those events were still considered. 

Events were ranked based on a combination of their cultural, political, and economic impact. 

Our selection process frequently favored events unique to a state’s culture and history, such as the legalization of gambling in Nevada. 

We avoided events such as the signing of an international treaty in a particular state that could have happened anywhere, and included events like the eruption of the Mount St. Helens volcano that could have only happened in Washington state.