I don’t know, why is there a North and South Dakota? Or, Virginia and West Virginia?

They are just names. But you can find the history behind the names here.

The area known as North and South Carolina was once named “Carolina” by Charles II, but disputes over the government of the land in 1710 led to the split of North and South Carolina, so they’ve been separated for a long time.

As for North and South Dakota, they were formed from the Dakota Territory in 1889 because they wanted to separate the two population centers in the territory and there was pressure in the Senate to create two new states instead of one.

West Virginia is a little different; West Virginia split off from Virginia during the Civil War because they did not want to be part of the Confederacy.

What’s the point of having Illinois and Indiana, as opposed to just one state? It’s really the same question, just the two states you chose have one part of their name the same.

@Jayne

Well, it’s not really the same because the ones with the same name in them imply that they were once united or once intended to be united and thus begs the question: why aren’t they united?

Why are there two pieces of Michigan? How about another state called Peninsula?

Nonetheless, the essential answer is that the division is arbitrary and the result of temporary political expediency. I get what you are saying, it’s just that, if all she wants is a purely historical answer, then she should have checked Wiki, whereas she could have been asking if there is an abiding, sensible political or geographical reason.

I’d like to see a North California and South California, but that would totally screw up the stars on the flag.

Why aren’t the US and Canada just one big-ass country? Something like “Amerinada”.

When (if) you had to share a room when you were kid why didn’t you just merge the room and make it communal? Why was there a distinct line marking the difference between YOUR side and your sibling’s side?

Becuase people like their own distinct and personal area in which they have autonomy and control.

And sharing sucks.

@Jayne Glad you said Indiana and not Iowa, because as everyone knows, the long-running rivalry between Iowa and Illinois forbids that those two states will ever be combined.

Also, Iowa smells like cows. Seriously, all of it. When I drove across the country, as soon as I entered Iowa, it smelled like I was on a farm, and it didn’t stop until I got to Illinois.

@MacBean Dude, Iowa is a farm.

@squirbel: There is a West Virginia for civil war reasons. The pro-union western section of Virginia seceded from the confederacy (lol!) and joined the union. I guess they kept it as a separate state to honor that.

Theoretically South Carolina and North Carolina constituted a single province, but, as the settlements were far apart,there were always separate local governments. Until 1691 each had its own governors, from 1691 to 1712 there was usually a governor at Charleston and a deputy for the northern settlements, and after 1712 there were again separate governors.

The first attempt to define the boundary was made in 1732, but the work was not completed until 1815.
The colony was divided into North and South Carolina in 1712. In 1715–16 the settlers were attacked by the Yamasee, who had become resentful of exploitation by the Carolina traders. The uprising was finally quelled after much loss of life and property. These attacks further revealed the lack of protection afforded by the proprietors, and in 1719 the colonists rebelled and received royal protection. The crown sent Francis Nicholson as provincial royal governor in 1720, and South Carolina formally became a royal colony in 1729, when the proprietors finally accepted terms.
1712/May – The Carolina colony is officially divided into North Carolina and South Carolina.

To gailcalled there are two part of Michigan because Ohio and Michigan had a civil war over the land of Toledo. At the end of the war Ohio got Toledo and Michigan got the lands of the
Upper Peninsula. That is how the U.P became part of Michigan and not just another state.

@btf2013: Thanks for the answer, but I was being rhetorical.

Pretty good answer. They did battle over the port of Toledo, it was more of an argument (No Deaths)? Ohio was a State and Michigan just a Territory at the time, the U.S. Government awarded the Port to Ohio, and Granted the Upper Peninsula to Michigan. After time, Michigan gained a favorable deal with the Iron and Ore discovered there.