How the States Got Their ShapesHow the States Got Their Shapes

Every line on the U.S. map tells a great story: California's border was bent to claw onto lucrative gold deposits ... Oklahoma's panhandle reflects a shifting national barometer for legal slavery ... Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia's shared border traces the scar of a meteor impact. The segments reveal the larger story of what makes America unique: a range of natural resources, a history of social experimentation, and a thriving democracy.