Which star is your state?

Michigan
Admitted to the union: January 26, 1837
Formed from: Michigan Territory
Capital: Lansing
Population: 9,995,915(2018 estimate - 10th in U.S.)
Largest city: Detroit
State bird: Robin redbreast
Nicknames: The Wolverine State, The Great Lakes State
State flower: Apple Blossom
State song: My Michigan
Historical notes and interesting facts:
  • The first European settlement was established where Pére Marquette settled Sault Ste. Marie in 1668
  • The state's population grew slowly through the 18th century, not truly developing until the Erie Canal opened in 1825
  • The upper penensula was a concession to Michigan as a result of the "Toledo War", a boundary dispute between Michigan and Ohio (which dispute delayed Michigan's statehood). Ohio was awarded the "Toledo Strip" and Michigan received the upper penensula. This conession was a loss for Ohio, because the upper penensula turned out to be a rich source of lumber, iron and copper.
  • The early 20th century saw men such as Ransom E. Dodge, John and Horace Dodge, David Dunbar Buick, Henry Leland, Henry Joy, Charles King, and Henry Ford bring their engineering prowess to the state to create the automotive industry.
  • Henry Ford invented the moving assembly line in Highland Park, a suburb of Detroit
  • The Bath School Disaster took place in 1927; a bombing, it resulted in the deaths of 38 children
  • Metro Detroit comprises nearly 50% of Michigan's popuation

Florida
Admitted to the union: March 3, 1845
Created from: Florida Territory
Capital:Talahassee
Population: 21,299,325 (2018 estimate - 3rd in U.S.)
Largest city: Jacksonville
State bird: Mockingbird
Nickname: The Sunshine State
State flower: Orange Blossom
Historical notes and interesting facts:
  • "Florida" is Spanish for "land of flowers"
  • Jacksonville is the largest city by area in te contiguous United States
  • FLorida is the flattest state in the United states, with a high point of 345 feet above sea level, and a mean elevation of 100 feet
  • The state was the principal location of the Seminole Wars, three wars between the U.S. Army and the Native Americans (1816 - 1819, 1835 - 1842, and 1855 - 1858)
  • Florida is famous for amusement parks, oranges and orange juice, and winter vegetables
  • Florida is home to the Kennedy Space Center

Texas
Admitted to the union: December 29, 1845
Created from:Republic of Texas
Capital: Austin
Population: 28,701,845 (2018 estimate - 2nd in U.S.)
Largest city:Houston
State bird: Mockingbird
Nickname: The Lone Star State
State flower: Bluebonnet
Historical notes and interesting facts:
  • The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 - March 6, 1836) was a pivotal battle during the Texas Revolution. The cruelty of Mexico's President General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the battle inspired Texans and sympathetic Americans (Texas was, at the time, an independent republic) to join forces and defeat Santa Anna and his troops at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836
  • The Texas border at the Rio Grande river is the result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended a two-year battle between Mexico and the United States (and an $18,250,000 payoff to Mexico)1
  • SThe Alamo was the chapel of the Franciscan Mission San Antonio de Valero2
  • The Alamo is not a Texas shrine

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Iowa
Admitted to the union: December 28, 1846
Created from:Iowa Teritory
Capital: Des MoinesCity
Population: 3,145,711 (2018 estimate - 30th in U.S.)
State bird: Eastern Goldfinch
Nickname: The Hawkeye State(official); the Corn State (unofficial)
State flower: Wild Rose
Historical notes and interesting facts:
  • Iowa is bordered by six states
  • 90% of Iowan soil is deicated to agriculture
  • Fanous people from Iowa include United States President Herbert Hoover;
    world-famous big-band leader [Alton] Glenn Miller;Mbr> television comedian and late-night talk-show host Johnny Carson; -
    George Reeves (1950s television's "Superman");
    and wild-west entertainer Buffalo Bill Cody

Wisconsin
Admitted to the union: May 29, 1848
Created from:Wisconcin Territory
Capital: Madison
Population: 5,795,483 (2018 estimate - 20th in U.S.)
State bird:American robin
Nicknames: The Badger State; America's Dairyland
State flower: Wood violet
Historical notes and interesting facts:
  • Originally spelled "Meskousing" by French explorer Pére Jacques Marquette (also see Michigan)
    the spelling of the state's name was later spelled "Ouisconsin".  English speakers anglicized it to the current spelling, and this spelling was made official by the state legislature in 1845.
  • Wisonsin is known as "America's Dairyland" because it is one of the nation's leading dairy producers, particularly famous for its cheese
  • In 1854 a group of abolitionists stormed a Racine prison where escaped Missouri slave
    Joshua Glover was being held and helped him escape to Canada
  • Nearly 91,000 Wisconcinites fought for the Union during the Civil War
  • The Republican Party was formed by a group of abolitionist in Ripon, Wisconsin on March 20, 1854

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Black-and-white line art obtained from www.ist.net
and colored by Michael Calo using Paint Shop Pro 4.12 State-sepcific graphics obtained from state information sites

Updated Wednesday May 20, 2009
Last updated Saturday, January 19, 2019

1Wikipedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas#Republic
2https://www.britannica.com/place/Alamo