1

Massachusetts

Image: Kaya Arro

A curious word in itself, Massachusetts originated from an Algonquian word meaning "large hill place." The term "Massachusett" was first recorded in 1616 as the name of a village near present-day Boston, and the English added an -s to signify the plural.

The name was applied to the bay, from which the Massachusetts Bay Company, founded in 1629, took its name. With the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, legislators officially adopted the name Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

2

Michigan

Image: Aaron Burden

Another name with an Algonquian origin, like Massachusetts, Michigan comes from the word mishigama which means "big lake." The state was named after its chief geological feature: that large body of water to its west. After all, Michigan is in direct contact with four of the five Great Lakes.

When the area became a U.S. territory, the name Michigan was adopted as the name of the state. Michigan achieved statehood in 1837.

3

Montana

Image: Tim Stief

A name most likely derived from the either Spanish ( Montaña ) or Latin ( Montanus ) word for mountain, Montana was suggested by Rep. James M. Ashley of Ohio, who was a member of the House Committee on Territories. He recommended it in 1863 for the territory that would become Idaho. He liked the name so much that he recommended it again for a territory being organized in 1864.

The name Montana itself was first given in 1858 to a town in the Pike’s Peak gold region, which was at the time part of Kansas and is today part of Colorado. The town eventually died, though, when the gold ran out, but the name lived on.

4

Oklahoma

Image: Skyler Smith

The name Oklahoma was coined in 1866 by Allen Wright, a Choctaw chief and Presbyterian minister who served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He combined two Choctaw words that, together, mean "Land of the Red People." Eventually, the name was adopted into the Choctaw-Chickasaw Treaty.

5

Pennsylvania

Image: Lera Kogan

In 1681, the English king Charles II gave a land grant to William Penn. The charter designated that the colony was to be called Pennsylvania, which was a combination of Penn’s name and the Latin " silva " (spelled " sylva " in the 17th century), meaning "forest." Therefore, Pennsylvania means " Penn’s forest ."

William Penn had originally suggested that the land be called New Wales, but since the charter was signed with Pennsylvania permanently inscribed, he declared that the name was in honor of his father.

6

Tennessee

Image: Brice Cooper

While the names of many states originate from descriptions, the name of Tennessee didn’t have any particular meaning when it was bestowed upon the Volunteer State. This name originally came from a Cherokee town called Tanasqui by the Spanish, and Tinnase by the English. But the Cherokees themselves didn’t associate any literal meaning with the word.

The name was also given to a stream near the town, and as English settlers moved downstream, they carried the name with them. Tennessee first appeared in that spelling as the name of a newly organized county in North Carolina in 1788, and it was eventually proposed and accepted by Congress as a state name in 1796.

7

Wyoming

Image: Kellie Klumb

The name of Wyoming originated from the Algonquian word meche-weami-ing , which meant " at the big flats. " It was originally applied to a valley in Pennsylvania and became well-known through Thomas Campbell’s epic 1809 poem "Gertrude of Wyoming," which was about a girl from Pennsylvania.

James Ashley, a member of the House Committee on Territories representing Ohio, suggested the name for a new territory in 1868.

8

Alaska

Image: Rod Long

The name Alaska is thought to come from the Aleut word aláxsxaq or aleyska , which translates to " an object to which the sea is directed ."

When Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867, the name Alaska was suggested by Senator Charles Sumner under the belief that it meant "great land," when in fact the word was simply what Aleuts used to refer to the mainland.

9

Connecticut

Image: Christopher Luther

Whoever thinks Connecticut sounds like a complicated word, should take a look at the Algonquian word from which it originated: Quinnehtukqut , which means " place beside the long tidal river. "

An English scribe probably inserted the second, silent "c" in the name into the word to form the more common "connect" section, as we know it today.

10

Idaho

Image: Clay Elliot

The name of the state of Idaho has at least two probable origins. On the one hand, it may be derived from the word Idahi , the Kiowa-Apache name for the Comanche, both of whom were known to have been in that area. On the other hand, it might have been fabricated by a mining lobbyist at a time when native-sounding names were popular.

When Colorado was being organized as a territory in 1860, the name Idaho was considered, but Congress chose Colorado instead. The name came up again in 1863 when territories farther north were being organized. Montana was first proposed for the new area, but the U.S. Senate decided to call it Idaho.

1

Snickers

Image: Joshua Fernandez

We’ll start this article with an absolute classic. In the 1930s, Mars came up with a now-iconic candy bar packed with peanuts and covered in delicious chocolate. When it came the time to name it, inspiration came from an unlikely source: Snickers are named after the Mars family's favorite horse.

Snickers quickly became a global icon, becoming available in grocery stores and supermarkets worldwide. Nowadays, they come in a huge variety of flavors, including white and milk chocolate, as well as in different products like ice cream.

2

Hershey’s chocolate bar

Image: Janne Simoes

Known as "The Great American Chocolate Bar" , the Hershey’s bar is truly an American tradition. It was first sold in 1900, making it one of the oldest chocolate bars in the United States. However, they continue to be a delicious treat long past their one-hundredth anniversary.

This chocolate bar’s origin is rather interesting. In 1893, Milton Hershey visited the Chicago World’s Fair, where he was impressed with the chocolate manufacturing machinery displayed by the German delegation. The following year, he founded the Hershey Chocolate Company, which developed its own kind of chocolate products.

3

Twizzlers

Image: Filip Mroz

Let’s step away from the chocolatey goodness of our previous entries (don’t worry, there’s a lot more chocolate to go on), and focus on the delightful "Twist You Can't Resist". Twizzlers are one of the most unique candies out there: Their distinctive flavor and fun shape truly set them apart from other products in the market.

You might be surprised to learn that Twizzlers are made by one of the oldest confectioneries in the country: Young and Smylie, the company behind their creation, was founded as far back as 1845. Another fun fact is that, while only their black flavor contains ingredients from the licorice plants, Twizzlers as a whole are considered licorice-type candy.

4

M&Ms

Image: Christopher Ott

Many surveys state that M&Ms are the most popular candy in America. And, to be honest, anyone who has tried these brightly colored pieces of chocolate confectionary probably agrees. With their classic slogan "the milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand", M&Ms have been a beloved part of American life since 1941.

Just as cherished as M&Ms themselves are their iconic mascots, which are anthropomorphized pieces of candy. These colorful "spokescandies" have been the company’s representatives since the ‘90s, and have grown to be considered icons of American pop culture.

5

Jelly Belly

Image: Patrick Fore

Choosing a single brand of jelly beans to include in this article was no easy task, but we ultimately decided to give Jelly Belly this spot. After all, they were famously the most beloved snack of Ronald Reagan, and share a long and fun history with our 40th President.

This love story began in the 1960s when Reagan decided to quit smoking and turned to jelly beans as a replacement. By the time he reached the White House, Jelly Belly had become the de-facto presidential snack: A jar filled with jelly beans was regularly seen on the president’s desk.

6

Baby Ruth

Image: Ric Matkowski

No one can deny that Baby Ruth is a popular product: This delicious nougat-filled candy bar has been around since 1920. However, did you know that they were originally called "Kandy Kakes"? Not only that, there’s a small controversy related to the current name we know and love.

According to the Curtiss Candy Company, the name "Baby Ruth" was inspired by Ruth Cleveland , daughter of President Grover Cleveland. However, it doesn’t take a keen observer to realize that this is particularly similar to the name of baseball legend Babe Ruth, whose fame was skyrocketing in the 1920s. "The Sultan of Swat" even sued the candy company for using his name, but ultimately lost the case.

7

Candy corn

Image: Debby Hudson

This is perhaps the most polarizing piece of candy on this list. With its distinctive shape and bright colors, Candy Corn is either beloved or hated. In any case, it is one of the most popular candies during Halloween, becoming synonymous with this festivity.

Candy Corn is also one of the oldest candies in America, having been produced since the 1880s by the Wunderle Candy Company. It was originally known as " Chicken Feed " because of its resemblance to corn kernels used to feed poultry.

8

Sour Patch Kids

Image: Vinicius Amano

We’ve been mostly focusing on sweet products so far, so let’s take a small jump in the opposite direction. Sour Patch Kids, known for their slogan "Sour Then Sweet" , are famous for their initial tart and sharp taste that gradually gives way to a sweeter flavor. The contrast of both sensations is what makes this soft candy so iconic, which has been standing strong for almost 40 years.

Created in the 1970s, Sour Patch Kids were originally named "Mars Men". However, by 1985 the product was rebranded to the name we now know, possibly to capitalize on the popularity of the Cabbage Patch Kids, an extremely popular toy at the time.

9

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Image: Heather Barnes

We would like to take a moment to honor the innovator who realized that peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven : Whoever you are, good sir or madam, we salute you. And while we can’t celebrate this anonymous hero, we can thank the man who brought us the quintessential pairing of these ingredients: H. B. Reese, creator of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

In 1928, the H.B. Reese Candy Company started selling their peanut butter cups, at the time known as " Penny Cups " since they were sold for one cent. Reese, who formerly worked at a Hershey dairy farm, used Hershey chocolate in all his products. By the 1960s, the company merged with the Hershey Chocolate Corporation, which continues to produce these delicious cups.

10

Milk duds

Image: Moritz Kindler

Milk Duds are truly living proof that mistakes can lead to wonderful opportunities. These delicious pieces of chocolate candy are known for their irregular shape , which is a direct result of a lucky accident.

In 1928, Hoffman and Company of Chicago attempted to create a perfectly spherical chocolate-covered candy but failed in every attempt to achieve this shape. These failed attempts were called "duds", which is a term used to describe a device or equipment that failed to work as intended. Over time, these duds inspired the name of this product and eventually evolved to become our beloved Milk Duds.

1

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

In the same year that Michael Jackson’s Thriller was released, an 11-year-old Henry Thomas starred as Elliot, a young boy who befriends an extraterrestrial stranded in his backyard, and helps him find his way home.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this science fiction classic was filmed in chronological order to ensure the young cast (which also included a then-unknown Drew Barrymore) could perform convincingly. After Star Wars’ big debut in 1977, E.T. held the record for the highest-grossing film of all time until Spielberg’s own Jurassic Park surpassed it in 1993.

2

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Did you know this movie is Nicolas Cage's professional debut? He was about 17 -18 years old and played one of Spicoli’s (Sean Penn) stoner friends, called "Bad Bud". This coming-of-age comedy drama features early appearances by future stars like Penn, Eric Stoltz, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

3

Tootsie

Tootsie is a satirical romantic comedy starring Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey, a struggling actor who disguises himself as "Dorothy Michaels" to land a role on a soap opera. His success brings complications when he falls in love, putting both his career and his secret at risk. Jessica Lange later won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film.

4

Blade Runner

Directed by Ridley Scott, this futuristic science fiction classic starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young is set in a dystopian 2019 Los Angeles, where replicants (synthetic humans) are bio-engineered to work on space colonies. But when one group of rebellious replicants escapes back to Earth, policeman Rick Deckard (Ford) is in charge of hunting them down.

5

Rocky III

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), now wealthy and complacent as champion, loses both his mentor Mickey and his title to his younger rival, Clubber Lang (Mr. T). With Apollo Creed’s help, he fights to regain his discipline and reclaim his championship.

The third installment of this sports drama trilogy , written, directed, and starring Stallone, was released on May 28, 1982.

6

Poltergeist

Because Steven Spielberg was contractually unable at the time to direct another movie other than E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, Tobe Hooper was chosen to direct the film. This supernatural horror film won the BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects and was nominated for the Academy Award in the same category, losing to E.T the Extra-Terrestrial the next year.

7

An Officer and a Gentleman

On August 13, 1982, An Officer and a Gentleman hit theaters. This romantic drama , directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Richard Gere and Deborah Winger, follows the story of a Navy recruit who signs up for the Aviation Academy, where he learns to relate to others and finds love. It was a critical success and became the third highest-grossing film of 1982, after Tootsie and E.T the Extra-Terrestrial.

8

Gandhi

While science fiction was blowing everyone’s minds, this historical epic captured audiences’ hearts despite its 3-hour, 20-minute runtime. Ben Kingsley won both the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The biographical drama follows the key moments of Mahatma Gandhi’s life, from resisting British rule to leading India toward independence.

9

The Thing

Directed by John Carpenter, this sci-fi horror story is all about paranoia and mistrust during the Cold War era. In an isolated Antarctic base, the crew is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that can transform into the shape of any living organism it consumes. Paranoia erupts as the isolated scientists, led by MacReady (Kurt Russell), realize anyone could be the creature, leading to everyone's distrust and desperation.

At release, The Thing was overshadowed by E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , but it later gained a strong cult following through TV and home video.

10

Tron

Steven Lisberger drew inspiration for this science fiction adventure from the early video game Pong (1972). Combining groundbreaking animation with live action , the film was released on July 9, 1982, and became an influence on future animated filmmaking.

After discovering his work has been stolen, computer engineer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) attempts to hack into his company’s network, only to become trapped in a digital world.