Mississippi

We just learned about the state of Minnesota.

Mississippi is a state in the south of the US, with the Atlantic ocean to the south.

It's nicknames are The Magnolia State and The Hospitality State.
It's motto is Virtute et Armis which means By valor and arms.


(from: wikipedia - mississippi)

The flag of Mississippi has red white and blue stripes, and it has the confederate flag in the top left corner.
It's the only state in the US that has the confederate flag on it.


(from: wikipedia - flag of mississippi)

There are a bunch of islands off the coast of Mississippi and Florida, called the gulf islands because they are right on the gulf of Mexico. The biggest one by Mississippi is Horn Island.

(from: wikipedia - horn island (mississippi))

On one of the gulf islands called West Ship island, there is a military fort called fort Massachusetts, built in the 1800s to protect America from attacking ships.

(from: wikipedia - fort massachusetts (mississippi))


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Minnesota

We just learned about the state of Michigan.

Minnesota is a state in the midwest part of the US, that borders Canada to the north and Lake Superior on the northeast.
It's name comes from Native American words meaning blue water.

It's nicknames are the Land of 10,000 Lakes, North Star State and The Gopher State.
It's motto is L'Étoile du Nord, which is French for The Star of the North.

(from: wikipedia - minnesota)

The state flag of Minnesota has the state seal on it, which shows a Native American riding a horse and a pioneer using a plow on his field.
The Mississippi river and a waterfall called St. Anthony falls are shown, and three pine trees.

(from: wikipedia - flag of minnesota)

The shopping mall with the most stores in the US is in Minnesota, called the mall of America.
It has over 500 stores inside, and even an amusement park in the middle!

(from: wikipedia - mall of america)

There are two cities right next to each other in Minnesota, divided by the Mississippi river and people call them the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

(from: wikipedia - minneapolis-saint paul)

The Mississippi river starts in Minnesota, coming from Lake Itasca, and then turning into a river at Saint Anthony Falls, where the twin cities use the waterfall to make power for the city.

(from: wikipedia - lake itasca)


(from: wikipedia - saint anthony falls)

Every year in Saint Paul they have a big winter carnival, and sometimes they even build a giant ice palace.

(from: wikipedia - saint paul winter carnival)


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Michigan

We just learned about the US State of Massachusetts.

Michigan is a state in the midwest of the US, bordering Canada to the north.

The state of Michigan is split up into two pieces of land, the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula.
A peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on 3 sides.
The two peninsulas are connected by a long bridge called the Mackinac Bridge.
People that live in the Upper Peninsula are sometimes called yoopers because when you say the letters U and P it sounds kind of like Yoop.

The state nicknames are: The Great Lake State, The Wolverine State, The Mitten State, Water (Winter) Wonderland
The state mottos are: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice, which means If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.


(from: wikipedia - michigan)

The Michigan flag is dark blue, and has the words E Pluribus Unum which means Out of many, one.
it says Tuebor, which means I will defend, and it also says Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice, which means If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.
There is a moose an elk and an eagle on the state crest, and in the middle is a man standing on the edge of water holding a rifle, meaning that he will defend Michigan from invaders.

(from: wikipedia - flag of michigan)

Michigan has the largest bunch of fresh water lakes in the world, with the 4 lakes that it borders: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie. There is one more lake called Lake Ontario that Michigan does not border, and these lakes are called The Great Lakes.

(from: wikipedia - great lakes)

The Mackinac Bridge is a five mile long bridge that goes from the Lower Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula.


(from: wikipedia - mackinac bridge)

There are many islands in the great lakes, but the biggest one is Isle Royale.
It is 45 miles long of natural beauty, and has moose and wolves living on the island.


(from: wikipedia - isle royale national park)

Another big island in Michigan is Mackinac Island.
It used to be a military base for ships to go to long ago, and now on the island they don't allow cars so people have to go everywhere by hiking and biking.

(from: wikipedia - fort mackinac)

In the city of Sault Ste Marie (sounds like soo saint marie) the St. Mary's River connects Lake Huron to Lake Superior.
The rapids on the St. Maries river fall down 21 feet, so it was very tough for boats to go from one lake to another,
so someone built a machine where the boats can go into something called a lock, wait for the water to lower them slowly down 21 feet, then go to the lower lake.


(from: wikipedia - soo locks)

On the coast of lake Michigan, there are many nice beaches, and some very large sand dunes.
One of the biggest is called Warren Dunes, where there is a beach, campground and large sand dunes to climb.

(from: wikipedia - warren dunes)


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Massachusetts

We just learned about the US state of Maryland.

Massachusetts is a state on the east coast of the US, right on the Atlantic Ocean.

It's nicknames are: The Bay State, The Old Colony State and The Codfish State.

It's mottos are: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem which means by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.


(from: wikipedia - massachusetts)

The flag of Massachusetts is mostly white, with the blue state seal in the middle.
The state seal has a Native American on it, holding a spear pointed downward meaning peace.
There is an arm holding a sword above the seal, to remind people that we had to fight for our country's freedom.


(from: wikipedia - flag of massachusetts)

Two of the best universities in the world are in Boston, Harvard and MIT.


(from: wikipedia - harvard university)

Massachusetts was one of the first places the travelers to America landed to build their homes, after sailing on ships like the Mayflower.

(from: wikipedia - mayflower)

A famous writer named Henry David Thoreau went to live in a cabin on a pond called Walden Pond, where he wrote a famous book called Walden about simple living in simple surroundings.

(from: wikipedia - walden pond)

There have been 4 presidents who were born in Massachusetts.
John Adams, the 2nd president from 1789 to 1797

(from: wikipedia - john adams)

John Quincy Adams, the 6th president from 1825 to 1829

(from: wikipedia - john quincy adams)

John F. Kennedy, the 35th president from 1953 to 1960

(from: wikipedia - john f. kennedy)

George H. W. Bush, the 41st president from 1989 to 1993

(from: wikipedia - george h. w. bush)


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Maryland

We just learned about the US State of Maine.

Maryland is a state on the east coast of the US, right on the Atlantic Ocean.
It was named after Henrietta Maria of France who was the wife of King Charles I of England.

It's nicknames are: Old Line State, Free State, Little America and America in Miniature.
It's mottos are: Fatti maschii, parole femine which means strong deeds gentle words.


(from: wikipedia - maryland)

The flag of Maryland is from the flag of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore.
He was from England and had come to America to live in Maryland.

He was 1st Baron Baltimore, which meant he was like the mayor of some land in Ireland called Baltimore, which meant town of the big house.

(from: wikipedia - flag of maryland)

The seal of Maryland is different than many other states because it has two sides, like a coin.
One side of the seal shows Lord Baltimore in armor carrying a sword and riding a horse.
The other side shows a farmer and a fisherman standing next to the state flag.



(from: wikipedia - seal of maryland)

One of the most famous athletes of all time was Babe Ruth who was born in Maryland.

(from: wikipedia - babe ruth)

The city of Baltimore has a very busy port where ships come and go all day.

(from: wikipedia - port of baltimore)

The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a large river that connects between Maryland and Delaware, that many ships pass through for business.

(from: wikipedia - chesapeake and delaware canal)


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Maine

We just learned about the state of Louisiana.

Maine is a state in the north east part of the US, with the Atlantic Ocean on it's east side, and Canada to the north.

It's nicknames are: The Pine Tree State and Vacationland because it has so many nice forests and natural beauty.

It's motto is: Dirigo, which means I lead.

(from: wikipedia - maine)

The flag of Maine has the state seal on it, which shows a farmer, a sailor, a moose, a pine tree, the ocean and the north star.

(from: wikipedia - flag of maine)

Maine is famous for the lobsters that people catch in the ocean.

(from: wikipedia - american lobster)

Maine has close to 70 lighthouses because it is on the coast of the Atlantic and has so many ships coming and going.

(from: wikipedia - burnt island light)

Most of Maine is covered in forests. Of the 35,000 square miles in the state, about 30,000 is forests!

(from: wikipedia - acadian forests)


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Louisiana

We just learned about the state of Kentucky.

Louisiana is a state on the southern part of the USA. It has many nicknames:
Bayou State - because there are many slow marshy rivers and swamps called bayous in Louisiana.
Child of the Mississippi - because the Mississippi river ends in Louisiana and goes out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Creole State - because people who lived in Louisiana before it was part of the US were called creoles.
Pelican State - because the pelican is the symbol on the state seal.
Sportsman's Paradise - because there is so much fishing in Louisiana.
Sugar State - because sugar was a very important crop.

The state motto is: Union, Justice, Confidence.

(from: wikipedia - louisiana)

The flag of Louisiana has the state motto on it, and also a picture of a mother pelican poking herself in the chest, making herself bleed so she can feed her babies.

This might seem strange, but it is based on an old legend about a pelican whose children were starving and she did not have enough food to feed them so she cut herself so her babies could live.

This story is used in Christianity to be a symbol like Jesus who died on the cross so his followers could live eternally.


(from: wikipedia - flag of louisiana)

Louisiana catches more crayfish than anywhere else in the world, and the US eats more crayfish than any other country!
Crayfish are sometimes called crawfish, crawdads, freshwater lobsters, or mudbugs.

(from: wikipedia - procambarus clarkii)

Louisiana is the birth place of jazz music, as many of the most famous jazz musicians are from Louisiana, like Louis Armstrong.

(from: wikipedia - louis armstrong)

New Orleans is a very famous city in Louisiana, right on the Mississippi.
Many people go there to visit the old buildings, listen to music and eat many different types of food.
Cajun food was a type of food invented by people who used to be from Canada, but were kicked out and went to live in New Orleans.

(from: wikipedia - new orleans)

There are many swamps in Louisiana, with lots of alligators, snakes and turtles.

(from: wikipedia - honey island swamp)


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Kentucky

We just learned about the US state of Kansas.

Kentucky is a state in the southern midwest part of the US.

It's nickname is the Bluegrass state because there is a type of grass that grows there that looks a little bit blue.
It's motto is: United we stand, divided we fall and Deo gratiam habeamus (Let us be grateful to God).

(from: wikipedia - kentucky)

The flag of Kentucky is blue, with the state seal in the middle.
The state seal is two men shaking hands, one is a pioneer and the other is in a suit.
There are goldenrod flowers around the circle, and that is the state flower.

(from: wikipedia - flag of kentucky)

The biggest horse race in the USA is called the Kentucky Derby, held every year in Louisville, Kentucky.
food

(from: wikipedia - kentucky derby)

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the longest cave system in the world.
There are over 400 miles of passageways in the caves.

(from: wikipedia - mammoth cave national park)

The famous Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants were started by a man named Harland Sanders, who would later be known as Colonel Sanders.

(from: wikipedia - colonel sanders)


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