State Capitals Trivia Quiz: 10 Questions That Test What You Know

This state capitals trivia quiz checks whether you know that Albany, not New York City, runs New York and that Juneau can only be reached by sea or air. Ten questions cover capitals from Sacramento to Montpelier.

Start State Capitals Trivia Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Northeast
What is the capital of New York State?
West
Which city is the capital of California?
South
What is the capital of Texas?
Alaska
Which state capital cannot be reached by road from the rest of North America?
Northeast
What is the least populous state capital in the US?
South
Which state's capital is Tallahassee?
Midwest
Springfield is the capital of which state?
West
What is the capital of Hawaii?
Mountain
Which state capital sits at an elevation of exactly one mile on one step of its capitol building?
Midwest
What is the capital of Michigan?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What is the capital of New York State?
Answer: Albany
Albany has been the capital since 1797. New York City is far larger, but the state government meets in Albany on the Hudson River.
Q2: Which city is the capital of California?
Answer: Sacramento
Sacramento became the permanent capital in 1854. It grew quickly during the Gold Rush, when it was a supply town for miners.
Q3: What is the capital of Texas?
Answer: Austin
Austin is the capital, while Houston is the largest city in Texas. The Texas State Capitol in Austin is taller than the US Capitol in Washington.
Q4: Which state capital cannot be reached by road from the rest of North America?
Answer: Juneau
Juneau, Alaska, is surrounded by mountains and water, so visitors arrive by plane or ferry. No road links it to the rest of the continent.
Q5: What is the least populous state capital in the US?
Answer: Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier has only about 8,000 residents. It is the only state capital without a McDonald's restaurant, a fact often repeated in trivia.
Q6: Which state's capital is Tallahassee?
Answer: Florida
Tallahassee became Florida's capital in 1824 because it lay halfway between the old colonial centers of St. Augustine and Pensacola.
Q7: Springfield is the capital of which state?
Answer: Illinois
Springfield, Illinois, was Abraham Lincoln's hometown. Missouri and Massachusetts also have cities named Springfield, but they are not capitals.
Q8: What is the capital of Hawaii?
Answer: Honolulu
Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is home to Iolani Palace, the only royal palace on US soil, once used by Hawaii's monarchs.
Q9: Which state capital sits at an elevation of exactly one mile on one step of its capitol building?
Answer: Denver
One step of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver is engraved to mark 5,280 feet above sea level, giving the city its Mile High nickname.
Q10: What is the capital of Michigan?
Answer: Lansing
Lansing was chosen in 1847, partly because it was safer from British troops in Canada than Detroit. Detroit remains Michigan's largest city.

State Capitals Trivia Quiz – Capitals That Surprise People

Many US state capitals are not the largest city in their state. New York, California, Illinois, Florida and Texas all run their governments from smaller cities, often chosen in the 1800s because they were central, safer or easier to reach by river than the big commercial ports.

Some capitals moved several times before settling down. Georgia's government met in Savannah, Augusta, Louisville and Milledgeville before Atlanta became capital in 1868, and Ohio's capital moved from Chillicothe to Zanesville and back before Columbus was founded for the purpose in 1812.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz suits students learning the 50 states and anyone who wants to stop mixing up capitals with big cities.

Why Albany, not New York City, is New York's capital
Which capital has no road connection
How Denver earned the Mile High name
Which states share the name Springfield
Why some capitals were chosen in the 1800s

Did You Know?

Annapolis, Maryland, briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783 and 1784.
Phoenix, Arizona, is the most populous state capital, with more than 1.6 million people.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, sits at about 7,000 feet, making it the highest state capital.
Juneau covers about 8,400 square kilometers, larger than the state of Delaware.
Four state capitals are named after US presidents: Jackson, Jefferson City, Lincoln and Madison.