This is the beginning of a fifty post long series that explores the interesting facts and unique characteristics of each state. We will move through the states alphabetically as we learn more about each one on a more personal level.
Alabama is a state in the southern region of the US with the abbreviation AL. It became the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. This makes Alabama 203 years old, as of December 2022. The state of Alabama was named after the river which was named after an American Indian tribe that was originally called the Alabamans or Alibamons, which apparently means Vegetation Pickers.
Alabama is the 30th largest state and the 24th most populous; the state’s capital is Montgomery. The demonym of Alabama is Alabamian, and the state is bordered by Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The motto for Alabama is Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere (Latin for We Dare Defend Our Rights).
Alabama does not have an official nickname, but it does have several nicknames by which it is often referred:
- The Yellowhammer State; this name dates back to the Civil War when a company of Alabama soldiers were nicknamed Yellowhammers because they wore uniforms trimmed with yellow cloth that resembled the yellow feathers on the underside of the wings of a Northern Flicker, which is also known as a Yellowhammer woodpecker.
- The Cotton State, because the state of Alabama lies in the center of the cotton belt.
- The Heart of Dixie, which references the fact that Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederate States.
The landscape of Alabama predominately consists of plains and plateaus which contain forests, wetlands, and even some coasts on the Gulf of Mexico.
Alabama is known for its Southern Hospitality and for being one of America’s largest producers of peanuts, not to mention that the state is also home to Huntsville, which is where the Saturn V rocket was built; this was the rocket that sent the first people to the moon. Alabama is also rich in iron, coal, and limestone.
Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She is known worldwide for her struggles and accomplishments while learning to read and communicate while being deaf and blind.
In 1902, while visiting New York City, Mary Anderson from Alabama came up with the idea for the windshield wiper. When she returned to Birmingham, Alabama, she patented her idea; the windshield wipers that she invented are now standard on all vehicles across the world.
The Battle of Fort Blakeley occurred in Baldwin County, Alabama, in April of 1865. It was the last major battle of 5the Civil War, which resulted in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
One of the many interesting facts about Alabama is that the first ever 911 call was made within the state.
A strange fact about Alabama is that it is home to more snails than any other state; 43% of all snail species in America are found in this state.
What fact about Alabama interests you the most?
Onward American 🇺🇸
Source: Origins of State Names
Source: Demonyms for US States
Source: Alabama State Nicknames
Source: Unforgettable Things of Alabama
Onward American 