Motto: "Alis volat Propriis" (She flies with her own wings)
Flower: Oregon grape
Bird: Western meadowlark
Nickname: Beaver State
Origin of name: Unknown. Believed to have originated from the writings of British Army officer Major Robert Rogers, of Roger's Rangers fame.
Summary: Though sighted by English and Spanish mariners in the 1500s, it was not until 1778 that British Captain James Cook surveyed part of the coast of present day Oregon. Captain Robert Gray entered the mouth of the Columbia River in 1792 and claimed the area for the United States. Lewis and Clark explored the Oregon area in 1805. A fur trading post was established at Astoria in 1811. The Hudson's Bay company and American settlers disputed control of the area until the 1846 Oregon Treaty placed the territory in U.S. hands. Today the rich forests of the state bring in $3.9 billion in income. The salmon fishing industry is one of the largest in the world. As of 1993, however, there is a danger that low counts of salmon may result in a drastic reduction of income from fishing. The agriculture industry in Oregon is a leader in the growth of various berries and nuts. Livestock and poultry are also major parts of the economy. With a significant number of turbo-electric dams providing relatively cheap power, it comes as no surprise that Oregon has developed rapidly as a manufacturing center. Good packing, paper, plywood/lumber, and the electrical equipment industries are all beneficiaries of this. For tourists, Oregon has a lot to see. The Crater Lake National Park; Bonneville Dam; Mount Hood; the Oregon Dunes National Recreations Area; Hells Canyon and the Siuslaw National Forest are all fine examples.
State Name: Pennsylvania
Abbreviation: PA
Capital: Harrisburg
Entered Union (Rank): December 12, 1787 (2)
Motto: Virtue, liberty, and Independence
Flower: Mountain laurel
Bird: Ruffed grouse
Nickname: Keystone State
Origin of name: Named after Admiral Sir William Penn, the father of Pennsylvania's first governor, William Penn, Jr. Pennsylvania means "Penn's Woodland".
Summary: In a three way battle between the Dutch, the Swedes and the English, lasting from the early 1600s, Pennsylvania was finally acquired by the English in 1664. William Penn, a Quaker, was granted Pennsylvania by King George the first in 1681. The capital of the American Federal government was, from 1776 to 1800, in Philadelphia. The Declaration of Independence was signed there and the Constitution was drafted there. These days, Pennsylvania has undergone a transformation in its industry. Chemicals, food, cement and electrical machinery production are vying with the reduced steel industry as equal partners in the state's economy. The six million acres of farmland and over 55,000 farms make agriculture the state's most important industry. Milk, poultry and eggs are the leaders in agriculture. Pennsylvania's tourism industry is no slouch, either. Annually, six million dollars are brought in from tourists visiting the likes of: The Gettysburg National Military Park; Valley Forge National Historical Park; Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia; and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
State Name: Rhode Island
Abbreviation: RI
Capital: Providence
Entered Union (Rank): May 29, 1790 (13)
Motto: Hope
Flower: Violet (unofficial)
Bird: Rhode Island Red
Nickname: The Ocean State
Origin of name: The Greek Island of Rhodes
Summary: Founded by Roger Williams, exiled by the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans in 1636, the Colony of Rhode Island was well underway by 1640. A leader in starting the American Revolution (two British cutters were seized and burned by Ocean Staters prior to hostilities), Rhode Island has a reputation for questioning authority. After becoming a part of the United States the state played virtually no role in the war of 1812 against the British. In 1842 there was a rebellion against the federal law requiring property ownership to vote. The smallest of the fifty states, Rhode Island is also one of the most highly industrialized. The state is the jewelry capital for the entire country. Ship building, plastics, electronics and metal fabrication are also bulwarks of the Rhode Island economy. With over $1 billion a year in revenue, tourism is also a valuable part of the states income system. These sights help to bring in the tourists: the Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence; General Nathanael Greene's Homestead in Coventry; Samuel Slater's Mill in Pawtucket, and the Rhode Island coast.
State Name: South Carolina
Abbreviation: SC
Capital: Columbia
Entered Union (Rank): The Palmetto State (8)
Mottos: Animis opibusque parati (Prepared in mind and resources) & Dum spiro spero (While I breathe I hope)
Flower: Carolina yellow jasmine
Bird: Carolina wren
Nickname: Palmetto State
Origin of name: In honor of King Charles I of England
Summary: South Carolina was first visited by Spanish explorers in 1521. Attempts to colonize the area by the Spanish in 1526, and by the French in 1562, failed. By the late 1600s the English had established themselves at Charles Town (eventually renamed Charleston). Originally one colony, Carolina was split up into North and South Carolina in 1729. Considerable fighting occurred in the state during both the American Revolution and the American Civil War. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union during the latter. After many years of industrialization, South Carolina's mills and factories produce eight times the income of its farms, once the chief money-makers in the state. Asbestos, wood, steel, and pulp products are the manufacturing leaders. Farming and agriculture is still important to the state, though. Tobacco is a major crop as are peanuts, cotton, corn, oats and sweet potatoes. When visiting the Palmetto State, the tourist has a lot of options. Some of these are: The U.S.S. Yorktown Museum at Charleston, Fort Johnson; Fort Moultrie; Fort Sumter National Monument; Cowpens National Battlefield Park and the Gardens of Charleston.
State Name: South Dakota
Abbreviation: SD
Capital: Pierre
Entered Union (Rank): November 2, 1889 (40)
Motto: Under God the people rule
Flower: American pasqueflower
Bird: Ring-necked pheasant
Nicknames: Mount Rushmore State; Coyote State
Origin of name: From Dakota Indian word meaning "allies"
Summary: The Dakota area was first explored by the French in the 1740s during their attempt to find a northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean. The United States gained possession after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The first American settlement, Fort Pierre, was established in 1817. The development of the railroad allowed settlers to come in significant numbers after 1873. The Discover of gold in the Indians sacred Black Hills a few years later started a flood of prospectors. This precipitated another war with the Indians of the area. Like its sister state to the north, South Dakota's main industry is agriculture. The top three crops are wheat, rye and alfalfa. The state is also rich in minerals, being the second largest producer of gold. Beryllium, Bentonite and silver are also mined in large numbers. Food processing and farm machinery production are major components of the state's manufacturing industries. Any tourist visiting the state has to see Mount Rushmore. Other interesting sites include: the Badlands and the City of Deadwood, where Wild Bill Hickok played his final hand of poker. Gambling there has recently been legalized to regain the flavor of the old west.
State Name: Tennessee
Abbreviation: TN
Capital: Nashville
Entered Union (Rank): June 1, 1796 (16)
Motto: Agriculture and Commerce
Flower: Iris
Bird: Mockingbird
Nickname: Volunteer State
Origin of name: Not known exactly; of Cherokee origin.
Summary: First explored by the Spaniard de Soto in 1540, the French and English also passed through in the 1670s and 1680s. After the French and Indian War, the British gained control of the area. Colonists from Virginia and the Carolinas moved in rapidly thereafter. From 1784-1787 the settlers formed th
