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Rhode Island (RI)

Capital: Providence
Largest City: Providence
Area: 1,214 sq. mi. (50th in US)
Population: 1,050,788 in 2008 (43rd in US)

Nicknames: The Ocean State

Motto: Hope
Song: “Rhode Island’s It For Me”
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Violet (Viola sp.)
Bird: Rhode Island Red
Tree: Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Shell: Quahaug
Rock: Cumberlandite
Fish: Striped Bass
Drink: Coffee milk
Fruit: Rhode Island greening apple
American Folk Art: Charles I.D. Looff Carousel
Yacht: “Courageous” (12-meter yacht)

Admission to Union: May 29, 1790

North Carolina (NC)

Capital: Raleigh
Largest City: Charlotte
Area: 53,865 sq. mi. (28th in US)
Population: 9,222,414 in 2008 (10th in US)

Nicknames: Tar Heel State, Old North State

Motto: Esse quam videri
Song: “The Old North State” by Gaston/Randolph
Colors: Red and Blue

Flower: Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Bird: Cardinal
Tree: Pine (Pinus palustris)
Animal: Gray Squirrel
Dog: Plott Hound
Insect: Honeybee
Fish: Channel Bass
Beverage: Milk
Vegetable: Sweet potato
Dance: Clogging

Admission to Union: November 21, 1789

New York (NY)

Capital: Albany
Largest City: New York City
Area: 54,555 sq. mi. (27th in US)
Population: 19,490,297 in 2008 (3rd in US)

Nicknames: The Empire State

Motto: Excelsior
Song: “I Love New York” by Steve Karmen
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Rose (Rosa sp.)
Bird: Bluebird
Tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Animal: American Beaver
Insect: Nine-Spotted Ladybug
Freshwater Fish: Brook Trout
Saltwater Fish: Striped Bass
Reptile: Snapping Turtle
Beverage: Milk
Muffin: Apple Muffin

Admission to Union: July 26, 1788

Virginia (VA)

Capital: Richmond
Largest City: Virginia Beach
Area: 42,774 sq. mi. (35th in US)
Population: 7,769,089 in 2008 (12th in US)

Nicknames: Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents

Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis “Thus Always To Tyrants”
Song: “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” by James A. Bland
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Bird: Cardinal
Tree: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Dog: American Foxhound
Bat: Big-eared Bat
Insect: Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Fish: Brook Trout
Beverage: Milk
Boat: Chesapeake Bay deadrise
Dance: Square Dance

Admission to Union: June 25, 1788

New Hampshire (NH)

Capital: Concord
Largest City: Manchester
Area: 9,350 sq. mi. (46th in US)
Population: 1,315,809 in 2008 (41st in US)

Nicknames: The Granite State

Motto: Live Free or Die
Song: “Old New Hampshire” by Holmes/Hoffmann
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Bird: Purple Finch
Tree: Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Animal: White-Tailed Deer
Dog: Chinook
Butterfly: Karner Blue Butterfly
Insect: Two-spotted Ladybug
Freshwater Fish: Brook Trout
Saltwater Fish: Striped Bass
Fruit: Pumpkin
Sport: Skiing

Admission to Union: June 21, 1788

South Carolina (SC)

Capital: Columbia
Largest City: Columbia
Area: 32,020 sq. mi. (40th in US)
Population: 4,479,800 in 2008 (24th in US)

Nicknames: The Palmetto State

Motto: Dum spiro spero, Animis opibusque parati
Song: “Carolina”
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Bird: Great Carolina Wren
Tree: Cabbage Palmetto (Sabal palmetto)
Animal: White-tailed Deer
Spider: Carolina Wolf Spider
Insect: Carolina Mantid
Fish: Striped Bass
Beverage: Milk
Hospitality Beverage: Tea
Snack Food: Boiled peanuts
Dance: Shag

Admission to Union: May 23, 1788

Maryland (MD)

Capital: Annapolis
Largest City: Baltimore
Area: 12,407 sq. mi. (42nd in US)
Population: 5,633,597 in 2008 (19th in US)

Nicknames: Old Line State, Free State, Little America, America in Miniature

Motto: Fatti maschii, parole femine “Manly deeds, womanly words”
Song: “Maryland, My Maryland” by James Ryder Randal
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Bird: Baltimore Oriole
Tree: White Oak (Quercus alba)
Horse: Thoroughbred Horse
Dog: Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Cat: Calico Cat
Crustacean: Blue Crab
Insect: Baltimore Checkerspot
Fish: Striped Bass
Drink: Milk
Dessert: Smith Island cake
Exercise: Walking
Sport: Jousting
Team Sport: Lacrosse
Dance: Square Dance

Admission to Union: April 28, 1788

Massachusetts (MA)

Capital: Boston
Largest City: Boston
Area: 10,555 sq. mi. (44th in US)
Population: 6,497,967 in 2008 (15th in US)

Nicknames: Bay State

Motto: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem
Song: “All Hail to Massachusetts” by Arthur J. Marsh
Colors: Blue, green and cranberry

Flower: Mayflower (Epigaea repens)
Bird: Chickadee
Tree: American Elm (Ulmus americana)
Horse: Morgan Horse
Dog: Boston Terrier
Cat: Tabby Cat
Insect: Ladybug
Fish: Cod
Beverage: Cranberry juice
Bean: Baked navy bean
Artist: Norman Rockwell
Folk Hero: Johnny Appleseed
Dance: Square Dance

Admission to Union: February 6, 1788

Connecticut (CT)

Capital: Hartford
Largest City: Bridgeport
Area: 5,543 sq. mi. (48th in US)
Population: 3,501,252 in 2008 (29th in US)

Nicknames: The Constitution State, The Nutmeg State, The Provisions State

Motto: Qui transtulit sustinet “He who is transplanted still sustains”
Song: “Yankee Doodle”
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Bird: American Robin
Tree: White Oak (Quercus alba)
Animal: Sperm Whale
Shellfish: Oyster
Insect: European Praying Mantis
Fish: American shad
Hero: Nathan Hale
Heroine: Prudence Crandall
Dance: Square Dance

Admission to Union: January 9, 1788

Georgia (GA)

Capital: Atlanta
Largest City: Atlanta
Area: 59,425 sq. mi. (24th in US)
Population: 9,685,744 in 2008 (9th in US)

Nicknames: Peach Sate, Empire Sate of the South

Motto: Wisdom, Justice, Moderation
Song: “Georgia on My Mind” by Stuart Gorrell and Hoagy Carmichael
Colors: None adopted

Flower: Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata)
Bird: Brown Thrasher
Tree: Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Marine Mammal: Right Whale
Insect: Honeybee
Butterfly: Tiger Swallowtail
Fish: Largemouth Bass
Crop: Peanut
Vegetable: Vidalia sweet onion
Prepared Food: Grits
Folk Dance: Square Dance

Admission to Union: January 2, 1788