Geographically Challenged

Maybe you've seen this link before, the game in which you drag and drop the U.S. states into their proper location.  My parents sent it to me this week and suggested I let the kids try it.  Kids, schmids.  I spent a ridiculous amount time trying it myself, battering my self-esteem and calling into question the credentials of every social studies teacher I've ever had.  I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person--so how is it I am 36 years old and cannot locate New Jersey within 287 miles?

(I did, however, in a dazzling display of mediocre geographical skills, positively nail Texas and Florida.  The lesson in that is that you wouldn't want me as your navigator unless you're driving through a state with a significantly identifiable hump.)

Here's my theory: unless you're a geography buff, you tend to be most familiar with the areas in which you live or around which you've traveled at length.  For example, I can get a spot-on perfect score on any state that contains an SEC school.  I once lived in Chicago, so I can correctly place the states that border the Great Lakes.  I've traveled a lot around Colorado, so I can usually get the western states in their spot.

BUT. 

I'm of absolutely no use in New England.  It always surprises me to realize how far east Pennsylvania is, and I couldn't even begin to tell you how Connecticut, Massachussetts, New Hampshire and Vermont all fit together.  

I'm not much better with the Midwest.  I always get Ohio and Iowa mixed up (even though they're nowhere close to each other--it's all those dang vowels in the name).  And it always surpises me that Illinois touches Kentucky; it just doesn't seem like it should, you know?

And I couldn't tell you why, but it feels to me that Oregon should be on top of Washington, not the other way around.  I know, that makes no sense.  But I'm a geography-by-emotional-intuition kind of girl, a trait which, you can imagine, my husband finds especially adorable on long road trips. 

So, do you think I'm right?  Do you American readers have parts of the country you can place perfectly, but other parts that confound you completely?  And if so, which ones?  And is there anyone--anyone--out there who actually understands how New England fits together?

(By the way, it took MANY tries--and a conscious effort at leaving my Oregon/Washington emotional baggage at the door--but I finally managed to score a 90%.  It was the best I could do.  What was your score?)

Comments

[Audrey]

I scored a 76% and my average error was 74 miles. 38 perfect out of 50 turns. That was pretty fun! I sent it to my mom and sister. :)
I'm, actually from Washington, so the entire western side of the US was pretty easy.... it's once I got on the other side of the Dakotas that I got confused. And New England? Forget it. I don't even think New Englanders could get it right.

[Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates]

Oh those are hard! Surprised myself by getting an 86% the first time with 36 miles error. Not too bad - though I totally used the shapes of the states trying to match them up with the microscopic edges of the coast and other states - LOL! I'm from MT and CA, so anything east baffles me.

It is something we should know though. Thank you for trying to increase our intelligence!

[JenM]

I'm South African born and raised and have been living in England for the last 9 years ... and I got 84% on my first try! Am v impressed with myself.

[Tasha]

I got 94% with an average error of 8 miles. Not bad! I did much better than I thought I would

[Tasha]

I should add that was my first try.

[laura]

88 on my first try with 33 avg. miles of error. Better than I expected!

[Justpassingby]

80%, Avg error 79miles... I'm from Singapore and honestly, i have no idea where what is... I played treating it much like a jigsaw puzzle. LOL!

[Anne]

I got a 92%....Wisconsin and Montana goofed me up a little bit:). But I must say the New England states weren't too hard because my family and I spent my whole childhood going from one state to another... I'm from Pennsylvania, so perhaps that explains it:).

[Kim]

Too funny! My first try was 82%. I pegged the New England states as I'm from Maine. We would travel from Maine to Florida every summer and with map in hand I would guide us from one state to another. I have never been west of Tennessee so that's where things got tricky. It's all those square states that I always messed up in school and it's good to know things haven't changed. I could probably get you to California with a good compass but that's about it.
Hugs.
Kim

[Melonie (Momma & More)]

WOW, that was FUN! I hadn't seen that link before.

My score was 96% - 48 out of 50 right...with an avg error of 9 miles.

Mind you, I'm an Army brat and military spouse so I've lived in a half dozen states up and down the West and East/Southeast and I've travelled through most of the states at some time or another. Plus I've done the Melissa & Doug USA puzzle about 500 times with my kids, if not more - frankly I think it's THAT that saved me. LOL

I really enjoyed that. Awesome link. :-)

[Tasha]

How fun! The western states gave me a bit of trouble, but I have moved around the east coast and midwest a ton so those were easier. My stats are 41 out of 50, average error 35 miles. Not to shabby for someone who struggles with remembering the names of all 50 states!

[Angela]

88% with an average error of 19 miles in 376 seconds on my first try. I did better than I expected with the plains.

I think I need to add this to my blog with a link to you. This is a great website find.

[Jo@Mylestones]

I think you're on to something with your theory of intuitive geography. I've never needed to know the latitude and longitude of Louisiana, or the whereabouts of Wyoming, so when it comes to geography, it's a safe bet that I'm not smarter than a 5th grader.
But since I've lived in the Midwest, on the West Coast, in the MidAtlantic, and now count myself among New Englanders, my biggest struggle was, ahem, the South. If only we could have combined our geographic prowess on the puzzle, we could have been golden, Shannon. :-)
As for why New England is tough to nail, I've got too theories: (1) Dartmouth and Brown don't usually make it to the Fiesta Bowl, and (2) Our dear New England states are "small for their age", and are smart enough not to even attempt to mess with Texas.

[Joanna @ Grace In The Home]

That was fun! I got a 86% on my first try. I was clueless about much of New England. But I nailed every state in the Bible Belt!

[Kelly]

I'm from Massachusetts, so I understand New England and the Northeast perfectly, but if you take me out to where roads run directly east and west and north and south, I am useless. Montana? Where is that?

[Kelly]

Oh, and my score was 84%. I always think Iowa should be much farther west than it is.

[Jennifer R.]

Thanks for the link. That was fun! I got a 90% with an average error of 70 miles the first time I took it. My biggest problem was that without any other landmarks, it was hard to place central states exactly where they go. Later states were easier because I could just place them next to neighboring states. I did pretty well in New England, but we spent a lot of time going over that in school (we home school). I do have your same issue with Ohio and Iowa, apparently. :)

[AmyG]

That was intereting. I'm not good with directions either. I can't do N, S, E, W directions. I need landmarks! lol

On my 1st try, I got 86% average error of 60 miles and it took me 386 seconds to complete, lol. I placed 43 out of 50, right.

[Melissa]

86% on the first try. Not bad. Shouldn't get too lost on a road trip...teehee...

[Bethany]

I got a 98% with an average error of 2 miles. And I totally think the results could be different depending on what states were given first!! Placing Nevada blindly was what lowered my score, but then it gave me edge states to work with so it wasn't nearly as difficult. Thanks for the link - that was fun!

[Michelle]

OK that was fun!

.....I scored 84% with a 71 mile error. I think I kept my score high as I live in New England so I kinda know the East Coast....but I so embarrassed to not have a clue where Idaho, Iowa or Arkansas were supposed to be. Did anyone else feel like it was Homer Simpson saying Doh when you made a mistake at first? Then it started to sound like my overly confident 15 year old making a sarcastic remark....can you tell I made alot of mistakes?

[llama Momma]

I totally cheated in geography. And math. (I was also an English major. And I've repented for all the cheating...I swear!)

Just don't tell my kids.

[Corey]

I'm from New England, so that was easy (except for Rhode Island, which I had no idea about). Wyoming and Colorado always mess me up.. two squares that look the same? I dunno.

[Marla Taviano]

I used to stink at U.S. (or any) geography. Then my 2-year-old got a states puzzle, and we did it together a zillion times a day. I'm a pro now. Well, a bunch of the NE states are lumped together in one piece, so yeah. Not so much.

How can you not know where OHIO is??? ;)

[Deb Pierce]

That was fun! I did a lot better than I thought I would. On my first try I got 92% with an average error of 22 miles. I only placed 4 states wrong, and my worst was Arkansas! LOL

[Mrs Lemon]

My first try was 90% with an avg error of 28 miles. Worst area of US - it's a tie between New England and the SEC states. Who knew Rhode Island was so far north?

[prasti]

lol! i remember my son used this game when they were learning geography in 5th grade. i usually have difficulty w/ nebraska and areas around there. we did a lot of cross country driving when i was young so geography came easier to me, except for nebraska and those areas bcs. we never made it there.

[Tina]

I got an 88% with a 25 mile error avg. I knew where all the states went but the first few on an empty map were all relative. Second time I got a 94% but that's because the mouse slipped and I stuck virginia in the middle of the great lakes.

[Patricia Weitzel]

That was fun. I played 5 times and my final score (I say final, just because I've got to get to work). 94% with 15 miles and 275 seconds.

I use the details of the edges of the states to help find the proper placement.

Thanks for sharing :)

[Rachel]

Wait. Oregon isn't on top of Washington? Are you sure? hmmm.... I was going to click that link, but I'm not sure my self-esteem can handle it.

If what you're saying is true, and Oregon is not in fact on top of Washington, then I have to agree with you. It should be.

[Shelly]

My kids love this game. I can't remember my score the first time I did it, but I am TOTALLY with you on the whole New England thing!

[Jolanthe]

I had 90% - score lovely in New England thank.you.very.much. Probably due to the fact that I grew up in Maine and had to travel through all those other states to get to Missouri where I went to college (PA is looooooong let me tell you at 2 am!). To this day I do not hold a very high affection for that state...

Colorodo always gets me...just seems like it should be higher up on the map.

[Jean]

I know where every state is to go! but to match states with absolutely no guideline threw me off. Anybody who got better score than I are genius! Social Studies was an easy subject for me in school. My score were 88%, average error of 20 miles, and time of 325 seconds.

[No No Nanette]

96%, avg error 4 miles - cool link. Now I can pretend I am smart all day;)

[Bailey's Leaf]

I can pretty much get all the way around the edges and I'm not horrible with the New England states. It's that darn middle American that goofs me up every time.

Love,

Amy in Ohio, the State that DOESN'T resemble Iowa. :)

[Valerie]

I had to comment because I'm from New England!! I got an 86% on my first try and 92% on my second. That was not easy without any guidelines... Thanks for the fun!

[Robyn (3girlsmom)]

I never learned this stuff in school. I mean, I'm sure I "short term memoried" it at one point in time to ace a test, but then POOF it left my brain.
You know when I DID learn it? When I TAUGHT school. We were required to teach our 3rd graders where the state are located, what their capitals are, and they had to recognize what the state was by looking at it WHEN IT WASN'T ON THE MAP WITH ALL THE OTHERS. Like on a flashcard. I help up the Georgia flashcard and they had to know 1. Georgia, 2. Atlanta, 3. Where Georgia is located on the big USA map.
But you know what? Made me learn it!

[Tina]

I scored 83. I know the East Coast just fine (being from PA), and the South because I made up a little acronym (ok, I'll admit it's dumb, but it totally works: Tina Likes Men And Guys: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia) and the West Coast, but man, the middle! All those states I've never been to!

[Lana]

96%. Sorry to say Arkansas was my first state and also the one I placed farthest away. Moving 5 times in the last 6 years and pleanty of cross country road trips makes for easy geography lessons!

[megan@Hold it Up to the Light]

So 86% on my first try...fun! I am challenged in the midwest and the great lake region, but just like you, the SEC states could be matched in my sleep!!!

Can't wait to try this with my first grader this afternoon!

Thanks for the awesome links you always seem to find!

[Candy]

Look real close - Iowa is the one with the butter cow.

Where's New England? ;)

[Carey]

Being from Oregon, glad we are not above WA. They get too much rain/snow. :)

[Brigid]

I scored an 80% which is pretty amazing considering I have driven in the wrong direction only to pass a state line saying "What??" on more than one occasion. My 4YO scored a 44%, but was having more mouse problems than actual state problems. And she wants to do it again... Thanks for the great link!

[Angie]

I got an 89%, but I found the same thing you did... the places where I have traveled I KNEW spot on. The midwest was so fuzzy. My hubby is a big geography buff, and he always has the globe out showing our son where things are, so I think that helped me out a lot.

Speaking of US geography, have you seen this kid?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nn9dd6FfE8

Hi-LAR-ious!

[Stacy]

My first try was a 96!!!! My avg error was 3 miles...I put Kentucky 55 miles too west, and Vermont 22 miles too east!! Thanks for a fun start to the morning--maybe after that mind exercise I will be primed to sort my laundry! :)

[Tara]

82%, 38 miles average error. BUT, on this particular one it is more the skill of putting together a puzzle than knowing where the states go. If you have a general idea out of the shoot, you can figure them out. I got the New England states VERY well mostly because I got one right the first time and could puzzle them together.

You'd be so ashamed. I got OK wrong by 22 miles. I'm so sorry. :)

[Kelly]

I agree that you are most familiar with the places you live near. Like you, I nailed the SEC states, but the mid-west was a little fuzzy.

88% with a 23 mile error...I had no idea what to do with Iowa!

[Loretta]

I scored an 88%. I'm spatially challenged though, so when you give me a state and expect me to drop it in the midst of a blank map I kind of know where it goes but I might get it a little too far in any direction. Delaware was the only one I really screwed up on. Well, that and Wyoming and Montana. Which really isn't good since they are our neighboring states.

[amanda]

Check at this youtube video of really SMART toddler; her spatial sense and geography is AMAZING!! Plus her celebrations are super cute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYV3AmDiyS0&feature=related

[Mrs. S]

First try 82% w/ avg error 41 miles. That sticky New England!! I am a west coast girl, our states are BIG...those little tiny states...geeez. I will have my husband do this when he gets home! Shows me how much we need to brush up on our geography!

[Donnetta]

If you ever make it out this way, I would be glad to personally give you a visual tour of how Washington sits on top of Oregon. Visual learners might see it better that way. We could even throw in Idaho and Montana if it would be helpful. :-)

The East Coast has always been my trouble. But then if I ever made it over that way and had the visual in person, it might clear it up that way. HHmmm... think I could convince as to the need of a trip with that reasoning?

[Rachel]

94%, 5 mile error. It was much harder in the beginning, but I agree that after you get a couple of the "puzzle pieces" in, it became pretty easy. Living the south, I got pretty much all those quickly - its those pesky NE states that are so small, its hard to get exactly right.

[Beth S.]

Oh my goodness...you are hilarious! I have to admidt that this is my first time on your site. Marie at MakeandTakes listed your site on her blog (amongst others) and the name of your blog intrigued me so that I had to check it out! I may have to add you to my list of favorites! You ladies sure seem to have a lot of fun at the conferences and just blogging in general...makes me tempted to become a blogger instead of a blogger stalker! Hee-hee! Thanks for the laughs!

[Courtney B.]

I have done this before as well!

I too was shocked that I could not get New England together for the life of me!

I guess it has something to do with never being up that way!

[Linda Sue]

apparently you have a smart crew reading this blog - we are mostly scoring 88% and my miles of error averaged 17, What FUN! Of course I live in Texas, was born in Florida went to college in Colorado, Vermont and California (my husband at the time was a grad student/professor - moved a lot) and have lived in Nevada, Kansas, Illinois, Wyoming, and New Mexico. A Rolling Stone so to speak without all the money and weird lifestyles.

[T with Honey]

OK - having to place Utah in the middle of the country as the very first piece was NOT easy! It got much easier once I had some of the edges filled in and had some sort of guide. At least since I live in New England that was a piece of cake to put together.

[LuAnn]

I got 88% with avg error of 14 miles. I think my biggest miss was W. Virginia. I did much better than I expected. I will have my children try it after school.

[Luke Holzmann]

I'm so bad at geography... I'm going to have to spend some serious time with this game. Thanks for sharing [smile].

~Luke

[Jordan (MamaBlogga)]

My first time I got 96% with an average error of 3 miles, but I was nursing the baby, so . . .

(Okay, like Bethany pointed out, it's more like it totally depends on which states you get first. I missed AR by about 5-6 mi and PA by about the same--who knew it was that far WEST? Anyway, if it gives you states on the edges of the country, I'm a lot more likely to get them perfect the first time than, say, the second time I played and it started me off with Kansas. Thanks. A. Lot.)

[HW]

The test isn't very consistent...it gives you the states in a different order each time. It's a lot easier to place Wyoming after one or two surrounding states are in than to place it down in the middle with no guides! I wish I could choose which order I did the states...then I'd do better!

[Rachel]

I got a 94% with 5 mile average error. Really, I think they should just give it to me. :) Thanks for the fun distraction this morning.

[Melanie]

"No Use In New England" sounds like a new Reba song! snort

I'll have to try this. Not feeling very confident...

[Trisha]

I scored 90% but I think this is a tricky game. I was an inch off and it marked an error for me...really?! Also, the hardest part is getting started because with no lines drawn on the map it is almost impossible to get your first state situated just right UNLESS you are given a state that is on the coast or borders. Towards the end even if you don't know where the state is, you can figure it out because of how it is shaped. Overall I would say it isn't the best judge of how well you know your states...if that makes you feel any better:) I have a hard time with the North Midwest (Idaho, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, etc.).

[Suki]

Very fun! I had to comment to tell a fun Iowa/Ohio story. My mom grew up in Iowa and when she was in her early 20s she moved briefly to Southern California. She was chatting with a girl who asked where she was from. My mom answered Iowa and the girl got a puzzled look on her face and then said, "Oh, out here we pronounce that Ohio". That story became even more funny when I married a man from Ohio.

[Amy]

I got an 88% on my first try. I am embarassed at my lack of North Eastern state placement knowledge. It's quite shameful...

[Daiquiri]

I got an 84% on my first try. Who knew Rhode Island was so itty bitty? Not me! You'd think I would have done better considering the fact that I've LIVED in 9 different states.

I'm totally going to go try it again to see if I can do better :)

[Beth S.]

I got a 90% the first time and after several more tries and getting New England memorized, I was able to get a 98% with a 3 mile error in 210 secs. This is quite addictive! I have to stop because my brain is smokin'! They get you on the first 3 or 4, especailly if they give you a tricky one like Wyoming or Colorado. Right in the middle of the big open West! Once you get a few in, it's easier to see it as a puzzle (as long as you know the general vicinity)!

[angie a]

90% my first try w/22mi avg. New England makes no sense to me. But Hawaii and Alaska.....I nailed them dead on!

[Jennifer C]

I played 5 times. My highest was 96%. I think it makes a difference which order the states come in. Once I got several in place it became easier to place the rest. what is hard is when the first few are somewhere in the middle and you have to guess exactly where they go. This is definitely addicting.

[A&EMom]

I think the score may have a little something to do with what order you're fed the states!

96% with an average 9 mile error. My directionally superior hubby will be so proud!

[Amy]

You know it's bad when you're over 100 miles off on your home state! And it's not like I live in Idaho, or one of those other land locked states - no, I'm in VIRGINIA - should have been pretty freaking obvious...guess not...woops!

[Just Mom]

All I can say is thank goodness I knew where Hawaii was located.

Thanks for the highly addictive game. Another distraction for me from housework. ;)

[Blakely]

On my first and only try I scored an 88% with an average miss of 36 miles. I got all of the SEC states except for one, Tennesse.

[Pam]

I'm from Canada...my best score was 86% on the second try.

[Jesica]

What a bunch of overachievers that left comments. I only got a 76% on my first try. I can only imagine how awful I would do on a world map :)

[Alicia]

I started with two 90%s and the fifth try produced a 94% with an average error of six miles - they're a tad picky when you're dropping non-border states into an open map. Just sayin'.

[Jenni]

I nailed it 100%. But then I am a homeschooler who sings the US Geography song with her kids every. single. day.

LOL...

Previous to that, however, YES, I was abyssmal at geography. I thought Vermont was up by Colorado. Haha!

[Sandi]

That was so much fun. Thanks for sharing! I got a 94% on my first try.

[Jenni]

Oops! I thought you were talking about a similar game I did just the other day. LOL!! Now this one is much trickier!! Off to try it...

[Sarah at themommylogues]

Yikes. Well, 84% the first time, 96% the second. But I know what you mean, the areas I haven't spent much time in were the hardest. Fortunately we did a lot of driving trips when I was growing up, and I liked to follow the map. If I tried a world quiz like that, I'd be in BIG trouble.

[Jenni]

Okay, I'm back. I got a 94%, avg error 10miles, and 487 seconds. *whew!*

[World's Greatest Mommy]

87% And 'cause I'm still getting over the Nyquil induced fog of last night...I'll take it and shout for joy!

My 11-year-old got a 90% and he plans to tell everyone in the Western world today. :)

[Erica]

Thanks for the link! The first time I got an 82%, but since I can't live with a B-, I took it again and got a 96%. The part that saved me was that it told you which state you were working with. I don't know the shapes of states at all, beyond the obvious Texas and Illinois. Oh, and I have a problem with Washington and Oregon too, but I tell myself COW (California, Oregon, Washington, bottom to top.)

Last month we were in Toronto and met a couple from England vacationing there, and we were talking about how big the US is. My parents made a concious effort when I was growing up to show us the US, but I've only been to the Northeast once or twice. There's so much of the US, let alone the world, that I still haven't seen.

[Texas in Africa]

96% with average of 3 miles error on the first try. I was an eighth-grade geography bee champion, thank-you very much!

[Libby Brill]

I scored 86% and my avg error was 44 miles. I'm impressed that I was able to do as well as I did.

[Libby Brill]

Alright, I just did it a second time and scored 94% and had a 24 mile avg error (as opposed to my 86% and 44 miles from the first time). I definitely think the order the states are given to you has a large impact on how well you do.

[Jennifer]

96% with an average error 7 miles! It was so frustrating to try to place random states in the middle of the country with nothing to guide. If you can get those you're a REAL geography genius!

[Big Mama]

I feel that I am handicapped when it comes to any sort of state identification by shape because I am from Texas where even our waffles come in the shape of our state.

[Maribel]

Thanks for the link.
I got a 92% with 12 Mile avg error.
I'm from NY/NJ so the east is very easy for me...don't ask me about the midwest states...LOL

[Pmom@ChocolateandGarlic.com]

Wow. I got 78% with a 53 mile error and thought that that was a great score, and then I came here. Oh dear. Those eastern states are really hard.

[Sheila p.]

O.K. I am totally U.S. challenged....I had no clue where the New England states were and a couple I was on the wrong side of the map with, I got 32 out 0f 50 boy I am bad. I hate to admit it....

[Linds]

Well, I have never had to look at a map of the USA, because I live in the UK, and my score was 68% so I am not totally unimpressed. It is those straight lines which confuse me! I am going to conquer this and make sure I know where I am goign when I visit one day!

[Joelle]

That was a good brush-up activity for me. I scored 94% on my first try with average error of 9 miles. Not too bad, I guess. When I was a kid, my mom had a United States puzzle that she had me put together, and it didn't have lines for any of the states so I guess that helped. It also helped to have driven through or to many of the states.

[Kellie]

I'm a Washingtonian and thought I'd offer up an Oregon vs. Washington tip. Oregon starts with an O, which is round on the top and bottom, because it is squished between Washington and California. On the other hand, Washington begins with a W, which if flat on top, as it sits below our flat border with Canada, the 49th parallel.

[Tonggu Momma]

I don't believe all these high scores. You've got some brainiacs reading here. I ONLY scored as well as I did because I've lived in the south, New England, Mid-Atlantic and out west. And my sister spent 15 years in the mid-west. And my husband is from the Pacific Northwest. Otherwise... total zero.

[Sam]

what a fascinating test to set yourself!! I love it - had a go and got something like 66% - as a Brit I thought that wasn't too bad!! I wonder if there is something similar with the British counties?

[AF]

I put Maryland where North Carolina is, but other than that I did pretty well. I knew Maryland wasn't that far south, but couldn't fit it in above Virginia and keep Delware straight. I've been to all those states. I should know better. Final score: 92% 11 miles.

[Amber @ Classic Housewife]

Woo-hoo! I did pretty good at that. That was fun, Shannon thanks! (I got 96%, Avg error 4 miles, but I took my time - 438 seconds.)

Your narrative cracked me up. Geography-by-emotional-intuition. =P

[Sally T.]

Yes. I have trouble w/ the Dakotas, Iowa vs. Wisconsin & Minnesota, & where to put Connecticut. My fourth grader can probably do better than I can...

[jean]

I got all the border states correct and all the New England ones. It's the center states that I couldn't do. I'm so ashamed.