[close] Although geographically small, Delaware has a big history. The state has been claimed at different times by more foreign countries than any of the other 13 British colonies.

Aided by historical maps, archival illustrations, and first-person accounts, readers experience the chilling Indian massacre of the first European settlers and follow the events that helped the region develop into a thriving colony, as it changed from Swedish to Dutch to British control. They learn how Delaware provided Pennsylvania with vital access to the sea and became the subject of a dispute between William Penn and Maryland's Lord Baltimore. Readers also learn how Delaware's early support of independence helped it build a militia of nearly 4,000 men and how Delaware was first in line to ratify the Constitution for the newly created United States. [close]