Alabama

1. Alabama "Tribal Town" in Creek Indian (7) Other sources claim it is derived from the Choctaw Indian language, translating as "thicket-clearers" or "vegetation-gatherers."

2. State Nicknames • The Yellowhammer State:Since the civil war when a company of Alabama soldiers wore uniforms trimmed with yellow cloth and were nicknamed Yellowhammers. " • The Cotton State: located in the cotton belt and cotton production was a major influence in the growth and culture of the state • The Heart of Dixie: originally because Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederate States during the Civil War

3. When did it become a state? • Alabama became the 22nd state on December 14, 1819.

4. Capital • Montgomery (3) • Population: 201,998 • Birthplace and capital of the confederate states of america • On January 28, 1846 Montgomery was selected as the capital of Alabama. • The world's first electric trolley system was introduced here in 1886.(4)

6. State Flag • Authorized by the Alabama Legislature on February 16, 1895 • Salute - Flag of Alabama I salute thee. To thee I pledge my allegiance, my service, and my life.

7. Confederate flag • The Confederate flag was designed and first flown in Alabama in 1861. • On January 11, 1861 Alabama becomes the fourth state to secede from the Union.

8. State Flower • Goldenrod from September 6, 1927 to August 26, 1959 • Camellia from August 26, 1959 to present

9. State Wildflower • Oak Leaf Hydrangea • Adopted 1999 • Grows six to eight feet tall.

10. State Bird • Yellowhammer AKA the golden winged woodpecker • Adopted 1927 • Flickers are reported to eat more ants than any other American bird. • Bird call

11. State Game Bird • Wild Turkey • Adopted 1980 • Today 6.4 million wild turkeys roam the lower 49 states. • Turkey

12. State Amphibian • Red Hills Salamander • Adopted in 1990 • Campaign led by the third graders at Fairhope Elementary School • Exist only in a 50,000 - acre area of southern Alabama. • This rare and elusive salamander was not known to exist until 1960, when Leslie Hubricht, a renowned expert on land snails, accidentally discovered the first one while searching for snails in the Red Hills of Alabama. It was not only a new species, it was the first new salamander genus discovered in North America since 1939. The salamander was named Phaeognathus hubrichti after Mr. Hubricht. A second specimen wasn't obtained until 1963.

14. State Reptile • Alabama red bellied turtle • Adopted 1990 • Adult turtles are approximately 1 foot in length. Females are slightly larger with a carapace (upper shell) length reaching 13 inches. • life expectancy for this large turtle is about 50 years in the wild. • Turtle

15. State saltwater Fish • Fighting Tarpon • It can reach a weight of 100 pounds. • Tarpon

16. State Freshwater Fish • Largemouth bass • They incorrectly identified it by the Latin nameMicropterus punctulatus, which is actually the Spotted Bass. • Bass

17. State Butterfly • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail • Adopted 1989 • butterfly

18. State Insect • Monarch Butterfly • The Monarch ingests toxins from the milkweed plant which are poisonous to predators. • State Insect

19. State Fossil • Basilosaurus cetoides (Zeuglodon) • Adopted 1984 • A complete skeleton of a basilosaurus (which means "king of the lizards") was found on a plantation in southwestern Alabama in 1834 • The two most complete Basilosaurus cetoides skeletons ever found are from Alabama - one is displayed at the McWane Center in Birmingham and the other in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. • http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Alabama/AL-state-fossil.html

20. State Fossil

21. State Marine Mammal • West Indian manatee • Save west indian manatee

22. State Tree • Southern Longleaf Pine • first designated the state tree as "the southern pine tree" in 1949 - it wasn't until 1997 that the southern longleaf pine was specified. • ecosystem once covered 90 million acres in the Southeastern United States. Less than three million acres remain

24. State Tree Fruit • Peach • Adopted 2006 • There are thirty to forty varieties of peaches grown commercially throughout Alabama

25. State Mineral • Hematite • Adopted 1967 • Approximately 375 million tons of hematite was mined in Alabama from 1840 to 1975

26. States gemstone • Star blue quartz • Become the state gemstone 1990 • Chosen by a state senator

27. State Rock • Marble • Adopted 1969 • The marble from this area has been called the whitest marble in the world.

28. State Shell • Johnstone’s Junonia • Adopted 1990 • Found only in Alabama water • The shell was named in honor of Kathleen Yerger Johnstone (an amateur conchologist from Mobile, Alabama who made seashells popular through speeches and books).

29. State Nut • Pecan • Adopted 1982 • April declared as National Pecan Month. • Astronauts took pecans to the moon on two Apollo space missions.

30. State Fruit • Blackberry • Adopted 2004 • The Song of the Blackberry queen

31. State fair • Florence renaissance faire • Named state fair in 1988 • Held the fourth Saturday and Sunday in October • The event draws 40000-50000 people • One of the highlighted pre-fair events is an authentic Medieval / Renaissance feast featuring food and entertainment of the period (held one week before the faire). People who attend the feast are encouraged to follow the customs of the era by bringing their own tablecloth, candelabra and eating utensils (this was a common practise during Medieval times - the nobility liked to flaunt their wealth by displaying gold plates and candlesticks of brass, silver and gold).

32. State Fair

33. State Mammal • Black Bear • Adopted 1996 • Seeing a bear in the wild is a very rare experience. • Black bears are not always black - there are cinnamon, white, beige, and "blue" and black bears. • They can run up to 30 mph and are good swimmers. • bear cubs

34. State Mammal

35. State Bible Purchased in 1853, this historic bible was used to swear in Jefferson Davis as the President of the Confederate States of America on February 18, 1861. Each of Alabama's governors has used this same bible to be sworn in since 1853

36. State Soil

37. State Song • It was written on March 3rd, 1931 • Mrs. Edna Gockel Gussen from Birmingham Alabama wrote the song • The song is called Alabama • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndTPPEU5vd0

38. State Seal 1 • Created by William Wyatt bibb • State seal from 1817-1869 • Then from 1937-present • The great seal of Alabama displays the major rivers of the state.

39. State Seal 2 • Creator not named • Seal from 1869-1939

40. State motto and coat of arms • "Audemus jura nostra defendere" • We Dare Retain our rights • Adopted 1939 • Alabama's coat of arms displays a shield with the emblems of five governments that have held sovereignty over the state. The flags of Spain, France, Great Britain, and the Confederacy sit behind the emblem for the United States. • The shield is supported by bald eagles on either side (symbols of courage). The crest of the shield represents the Baldine (the ship sailed by Iberville and Bienville from France in 1699 to settle a colony near present - day Mobile).

41. State Coat of Arms

42. Rosa Parks (9) • Feb 13, 1913-October 25, 2005 • Civil Rights leader who refused to give up her seat to a white man • Born in Tuskegee • Rosa Parks Biography

44. Helen Keller (1) • June 27, 1880- June 1, 1968 • Blind and Deaf Author and lecturer • Born in Tuscumbia • Helen Keller biography

45. State Outdoor Drama • The Miracle Worker • Adopted 1991 • The first production of the drama was performed on the grounds of Ivy Green in 1962. • The Miracle Worker

47. Nathaniel Adams Cole (10) • Nat King Cole • Known as the man with the velvet voice • March 17, 1919-February 16, 1965 • Nat King Cole song

48. Jesse Owens (6) • Winner of four gold medals in the 1936 summer olympic games • September 12 1913- March 31 1980 • Born in Oakville • Jesse Owens biography

50. Hank Aaron • all time homerun champion • Feb 5 1934 • Born in Mobile • Hank Aaron biography