As Earnie said, the simplest solution would be Google Maps. Here's an example and you can view the source to see how it's done:
http://econym.org.uk/gmap/example_states.htm
If Flash is an option, then you are pretty much paying for something or developing it yourself.
The best and most complicated option is to do it in PHP/MySQL. For this you need a database of the polygons that make up each state (if you want to go this route, I can give you a dump of mine) and then assemble the polygons and dump out a final version in GD. I did this for a client a few years ago that actually did all the different congressional districts and it really didn't take all that long for the states (the CDs was a different story!). Sadly this was a closed source project, so I can't help you out on the source code.
Going copy and paste is probably going to be really hard. You need to find images of each state that are the same scale and have a transparent background. I've never seen any sets like that in all the geocoding/mapping work I've done in the past.
Jamie Holly http://www.intoxination.net http://www.hollyit.net
On 11/27/2011 1:04 PM, Earnie Boyd wrote:
Ms. Nancy Wichmann wrote:
I need to create a US map where I can turn whole states different colors based on my own data, much like voting maps where some are blue, some are red, and others white. And suggestions? Must be easy to do by a non-techie. The map does not have to be in Drupal, cut-and-paste would be adequate.
Maybe Google Maps? There are some JS codes out and about. I found this with a simple search http://www.fla-shop.com/us_states/usa_locator.php but it isn't free however they do have a free demo. I also found http://www.redhat.com/about/where-is-open-source/activity/ but maybe not what you want. And then there is the HOWTO http://flowingdata.com/2009/11/12/how-to-make-a-us-county-thematic-map-using... which looks interesting.