Texas - A state with so much to offer
Texas is a state in the South and Southwest regions of the United States of America. With an area of 268,581 square miles and a population of 22.8 million, it is the second-largest US state, behind Alaska.
Texas derives its name from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, táysha (or tejas), meaning “those who are friends.” Texas joined the United States in 1845 as the twenty-eighth state, after nearly ten years as a Republic, or independent country. It can claim that “Six Flags” have flown over its soil: the national flags of France, Spain, and Mexico; the Republic flag, and the flag of the Confederate States of America.
During the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union on February 1, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America in March. On March 30, 1870, although they did not meet all the requirements, the United States Congress readmitted the state into the Union.
Texas is currently the only state in the United States to have three cities with populations exceeding one million (California has two; no other state has more than one). These cities are Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, which are also among the ten largest cities of the United States, and are the three largest cities in the Southern United States. Austin and Fort Worth are in the top twenty largest US cities.
Texas is known for being big. The state is big, the population is big, the people are regarded as big and bold. Texans are a melting pot of ethnic groups including Mexican, Hispanic, German, and American Indian. Some other interesting facts and tidbits about the state are listed below.
State Nickname – The Lone Star State
State Bird – the mockingbird
State Tree – the pecan tree
State Animals – the armadillo, longhorn cattle, and Mexican free-tailed bat
State Reptile – Horned lizard (otherwise known as a horny toad)
State Fish – Guadeloupe bass
State Gem – Blue Topaz
State Insect – Monarch butterfly
State Plant – Prickly pear cactus
State Musical Instrument – Guitar
State Fruit – Red grapefruit
State vegetable – Texas sweet onion
State Snack – tortilla chips and salsa
State sport – Rodeo
State flower — the bluebonnet
State motto — Friendship
State Slogan – “It’s like a whole other country”
Looking for a great place to take a vacation? Want to visit and explore a state that has so much to offer? Find out more information about Texas by doing a search online to find out all you want to know about the Lone Star State.