Texas Symbols: Here's All You Need To Know About The Lone Star State
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Texas is known for its diverse iconic symbols.
The Lone Star Flag of Texas was adopted after Texas got its independence from Mexico in 1836. The single star represents the unity of Texas.
Texas is the second-largest state in the US both in terms of population and area. It possesses an array of state symbols that are established by the Texas legislature. Texas is famous for many things, including the lone star on their flag which could be thought to represent the struggles they underwent while fighting for independence.
Numerous American and Mexican states border Texas. The maximum population in Texas is found in Houston. The next most populous cities are San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth.
The live music, spicy barbeque, hot temperatures, and several other things make Texas extremely famous. Central Texas is popular for the multiple business sectors there. This includes notable companies like Apple, Samsung, and Dell. It also hosts the seven top-tier colleges and universities.
More than 3,300 towns and cities are present in Texas, of which Fredericksburg is considered the prettiest town of Texas. It is located northwest of Marcos and San Antonio and is a small quintessential German town that hosts only 11,000 residents.
The annual Oktoberfest celebration along with a wide range of food, wine, and plenty of small shopping outlets make it a place for utter entertainment.
If you loved reading this informative article, then don't forget to check out Native American facts and California facts here at Kidadl.
Specialty About Texas Symbols And All Of Their Names
Apart from the Lone Star Flag which is instantly recognizable, Texas hosts a vast array of symbols, each having its own meanings. The Great Seal of the state of Texas was adopted simultaneously with the Lone Star Flag.
The Congress of the Republic of Texas adopted the seal which is encompassed by a wreath of a live oak branch and an olive branch. Peter Krag rendered this design.
It was made the Texas state seal in 1846 after its modification.
Dr. Charles Bellinger Stewart designed the state flag, which, just like the United States flag, has red, white, and blue colors. The red color in the state flag signifies courage, white is symbolic of purity and freedom, and blue denotes loyalty.
The state flower of Texas is the beautiful bluebonnet, which was chosen in 1901. It blooms from late March to early April. The official state flower is symbolic of the new beginnings in life.
Any variety of the bluebonnet is considered the state flower. The Chappell Hill of Washington County near Brenham offers the best experience of the Bluebonnet Festival. The state native shrub is the Texas purple sage.
The hybrid Spanish and English cattle, the Texas Longhorn, is the official large mammal of Texas. It has hard hooves and very long horns.
The armadillo is another official mammal. The Mexican free-tailed bat is the official state flying mammal. The famous state dog breed is the adorable Blue Lacy.
The tireless work ethic of the people of Texas is represented by the working dog breed the Blue Lacy. It was named after the Lacy brothers, who reportedly hybridized the greyhound and the coyote to make this extremely intelligent herding dog, which is now recognized by the National Kennel Club.
The Spanish cattle culture of the 1700s led to the development of a great sport, the Texas Rodeo. With the growth of the cattle industry, American cowboys associated themselves with various riding competitions.
The monarch butterfly is the state insect of Texas. It is seen in abundance during their migration period in the wintering grounds of Mexico.
The horned lizard is the state reptile, which was chosen in 1933. It showcases amazing defense strategies which include growing to twice its normal size and ejecting blood from its eyes.
The pecan tree is the state tree of Texas, which was chosen by the former governor James Stephen Hogg to mark his grave and since then it has been a popular yard tree. This state tree also produces the only commercial nut, which is harvested yearly and incorporated in various food and dessert items.
Warm and humid conditions are best-suited for the pecan tree.
Multifunctional prickly pear cactus became a state plant as well in 1995. Ranchers burn the spines and make use of them as cattle feed.
The Tex-Mex cuisine includes chopped, grilled, or boiled nopalitos, and jams or jellies are made from prickly pear fruits. The chili con carne (chili with meat) is the state dish that is a part of Texan family traditions. The state fish is the Guadalupe bass that is widely consumed by people in Texas.
How many Texas state symbols are there?
There are 72 official state symbols of Texas. The Texas red grapefruit is the official state fruit and is chosen because the red variety of the fruit was crossed and developed in a lab in the state of Texas.
Texas blue topaz is the state gem and the official gemstone cut is the Lone Star cut.
The state hat is the cowboy hat, and the cowboy boot is the state footwear.
The Paluxysaurus jonesi is the state dinosaur. Previously the Brachiosaur sauropod the Pleurocoelus was considered the state dinosaur.
The mockingbird is the state bird of Texas.
The guitar, which is popular among all Texans, is the state musical instrument and has widely contributed to the world with its musical chords. Western swing is the state's official music.
'Texas, Our Texas', the state song, was written by William J. Marsh and was adopted in 1929. The State Legislature took four years to choose this song as the official state song.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Flower Center is the chosen state botanical garden, and it houses more than 900 species of native plants. It is located in Austin and regularly hosts a large number of visitors. Several educational programs also take place here.
The Albert B. Alkek Library is the Texas State Library. It is located at Texas State University. Apart from the Texas State Library, there are more than 1,000 libraries that provide a diverse collection of books to their readers.
What do the symbols stand for on license plates in Texas?
Approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles made it possible to use several Texas state symbols on personalized license plates of vehicles.
Stars, hearts, or other silhouettes of Texas can be used on license plates. The lone star on the license plate is a popular design. It symbolizes unity among the people of Texas. More than 100 different types of license plates with various state symbols are assigned in Texas.
Texas Motto, Meaning, And History
Friendship is the state motto of Texas. It was adopted in February 1930. The main reason for adopting this state motto was that the Spanish pronunciation of Texas was derived from the words 'teyshas' and 'thecas', which were used by a local Indian tribe. These words meant friends or allies. Texas believes in unity and harmony among its people.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Texas symbols then why not take a look at 21 Viking raid facts or ancient China for kids.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English
Rajnandini RoychoudhuryBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English
With a Master of Arts in English, Rajnandini has pursued her passion for the arts and has become an experienced content writer. She has worked with companies such as Writer's Zone and has had her writing skills recognized by publications such as The Telegraph. Rajnandini is also trilingual and enjoys various hobbies such as music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading classic British literature.
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