The show begins with an introduction to the five states to be documented within the episode.
( e.g. "There is a North Dakota and a South Dakota, a North Carolina and a South Carolina, but there's been one "West" anything!
Since the series was produced in 2007, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii are shown with their flags.
Those quarters were released in 2008 The show then highlights the history of the state itself, including notable events that have happened there, and highlights other noteworthy things in that state.
In 2010 a sister presentation and then series, How the States Got Their Shapes was aired.