FACTS ABOUT TEXAS
Texas was admitted to the United States as the 28th state on December 29, 1845. The state abbreviation is TX, the capital is Austin, and the largest city is Houston.
According to the 2010 census, the population of Texas is 25,145,561. Texas is the second most populous state in the USA, after California. The area is 268,60 square miles. Texas is the second largest state in the USA.
The main rivers of Texas are the Rio Grande, the Red River, and the Brazos River. The highest point in Texas is Guadalupe Peak, 8,751 feet above sea level. Bordering states are Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The bordering country is Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is the bordering body of water.
The origin of the name Texas is taken from the Caddo Indians of eastern Texas. They called their group of tribes “Tejas”, which means “those who are friends.” The state nickname is The Lone Star State and the state motto is “friendship.” The state song is “Texas, Our Texas.” The state tree is the pecan, and the state bird is the mockingbird.
Two presidents have been born in Texas. Dwight David Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas on October 14th, 1890. He was the 34th US President, serving from 1953 to 1961. Lyndon Baines Johnson was born near Johnson City, Texas on August 27, 1908. He was the 36th President. Johnson served from 1963 to 1969.
The official state flag of Texas, called the Lone Star Flag, was adopted in 1845 when Texas became a state of the USA. The colors represent bravery (red), purity (white), and loyalty (blue). The large white star was first used on Texas flags in the 1830’s during the battles between Texas and Mexico.
Texas has been under six countries’ flags. They are Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, USA, and The Confederate States of America.