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Alabama Facts

Alabama Facts
The State of Alabama is located in southeastern United States. It shares state borders with Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee. It is the 23rd most populated state with over 4.8 million people. Prior to European colonization of the area, Alabama was inhabited by various indigenous cultures. Spanish explorers reached Alabama in the 1500s, and over 160 years later, in 1711, the French settled Old Mobile. Mobile Alabama is the oldest city in Alabama. Several battles, including the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War divided Alabama's region. Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819, making it the 22nd state.
Interesting Alabama Facts:
European explorers originally named the region Alibamu, which was the name of a local Indian tribe.
Alabama's state bird is the yellowhammer. Alabama's nickname is the 'Yellowhammer State'.
Alabama's state song is 'Alabama', with words written by Julia S. Tutwiler and music written by Edna G. Gussen.
The state dance is the square dance.
Alabama's state insect is the monarch butterfly.
Alabama's flower is the Camellia.
Alabama's state nut is the pecan.
Alabama's motto is Audemus jura nostra defendere, which means 'We Dare Defend Our Rights'.
Alabama's largest city is Birmingham.
There are 67 counties in the State of Alabama, as well as 21 state forests and 22 state parks.
Alabama has been the site for many civil-rights actions, including the famous Rosa Parks incident in Montgomery.
Alabama's industries today include paper, lumber, mining, rubber and plastic and transportation.
The first rocket to take people to the moon was built by Alabamian employees. The rocket capital of the world is Huntsville Alabama.
The very first electric trolley system was introduced in Montgomery in 1886.
Soybeans, milk, peanuts, cotton, poultry, eggs and cattle are grown in Alabama.
Alabama is made up geographically of hills, mountains, broken terrain and coastal plains.
Helen Keller, the famous author and lecturer who was both blind and deaf from age two, was born in Tuscumbia.
The Confederate flag was designed in Alabama and was also first flown there in 1861.
The remains of a pre-historic man were found in Russell Cave, in Alabama.
There is a five mile wide crater impact from a meteorite in Elmore County. It is the Wetumpka Crater site and considered to be 'Alabama's greatest natural disaster, believed to have occurred approximately 80 million years ago.
Alabama experiences some of the hottest summer in the United States, especially in the southern parts of the state which are in close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. The southern tip of Alabama is Gulf of Mexico shoreline.
Hurricane Katrina, a devastating hurricane that occurred in 2005, caused major destruction along Alabama's coast. Mobile experienced major flooding, with 11 feet of water.
There is a famous band named 'Alabama'. There is a museum for the band, and a fan club, in Fort Payne.
Alabama was the birth place of many famous athletes, including boxer Joe Louis, and the baseball players Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
Mardi Gras, the celebration held on Shrove Tuesday, was introduced to North America in Alabama.


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