ALABAMA (AL) - the yellowhammer state; the heart of dixie; the cotton state

• ❝audemus jura nostra defendere❞ - (we dare defend our rights)
• capital: montgomery
• bird: yellowhammer, colaptes auratus
• flower: camellia, camellia japonica l.
• 22nd to join the union

ALASKA (AK) - the last frontier

• ❝north to the future❞
• capital: juneau
• bird: willow ptarmigan, lagopus lagopus
• flower: forget-me-not, myosotis
• 49th to join the union

ARIZONA (AZ) - the grand canyon state; the copper state; the valentine state

• ❝ditat deus❞ - (god enriches)
• capital: phoenix
• bird: cactus wren, camphylorhynchus brunneicapillus
• flower: saguaro cactus blossom, carnegiea gigantea
• 48th to join the union

ARKANSAS (AR) - the natural state; land of opportunity

• ❝regnat populus❞ - (the people rule)
• capital: little rock
• bird: mockingbird, mimus polyglottos
• flower: apple blossom, speyeria diana
• 25th to join the union

CALIFORNIA (CA) - the golden state

• ❝eureka❞
• capital: sacramento
• bird: california quail, callipepla california
• flower: california poppy, eschscholzia california
• 31st to join the union

COLORADO (CO) - the centennial state

• ❝nil sine numine❞ - (nothing without providence)
• capital: denver
• bird: lark bunting, calamospiza melanocorys
• flower: rocky mountain columbine, aquilegia coerulea
• 38th to join the union

CONNECTICUT (CT) - the constitution state; the nutmeg state; the provisions state; the land of steady habits

• ❝qui transtulit sustinet❞ - (he who transplanted still sustains)
• capital: hartford
• bird: american robin, turdus migratorius
• flower: mountain laurel, kalmia latifolia
• 5th to join the union

DELAWARE (DE) - the first state; the small wonder; blue hen state; the diamond state

• ❝liberty and independence❞
• capital: dover
• bird: delaware blue hen, gallus domesticus
• flower: peach blossom, prunus persica
• 1st to join the union

FLORIDA (FL) - the sunshine state

• ❝in god we trust❞
• capital: tallahassee
• bird: northern mockingbird, mimus polyglottos
• flower: orange blossom, citrus sinensis
• 27th to join the union

GEORGIA (GA) - the peach state; empire state of the south

• ❝wisdom, justice & moderation❞
• capital: atlanta
• bird: brown thrasher, toxostoma rufum
• flower: cherokee rose, rosa laevigata
• 4th to join the union

HAWAII (HI) - the aloha state; paradise of the pacific; the islands of aloha; the 808 state

• ❝ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono❞ - (the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness)
• capital: honolulu
• bird: hawaiian goose (nēnē), branta sandvicensis
• flower: yellow hibiscus (pua aloalo; ma'o hau hele), hibiscus brackenridgei a. gray
• 50th to join the union

IDAHO (ID) - the gem state; the potato state

• ❝esto perpetua❞ - (let it be perpetual)
• capital: boise
• bird: mountain bluebird, sialia currucoides
• flower: syringa, philadelphus lewisii
• 43rd state to join the union

ILLINOIS (IL) - land of lincoln; the prarie state; the inland empire state

• ❝state sovereignty, national union❞
• capital: springfield
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: violet, viola sp.
• 21st state to join the union

INDIANA (IN) - the hoosier state

• ❝the crossroads of america❞
• capital: indianapolis
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: peonie, paeonie
• 19th to join the union

IOWA (IA) - the hawkeye state

• ❝ayúȟwa❞
• capital: des moines
• bird: eastern goldfinch, spinus tristis
• flower: prarie rose, rosa pratincola
• 29th to join the union

KANSAS (KS) - the sunflower state; the wheat state; america's heartland

• ❝ad astra per aspera❞ - (to the stars through difficulties)
• capital: topeka
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: sunflower
• 34th to join the union

KENTUCKY (KY) - the bluegrass state

• ❝united we stand, divided we fall❞ ❝deo gratiam habeamus❞ - (let us be grateful to god)
• capital: frankfort
• bird: cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: goldenrod, solidago gigantea
• 15th to join the union

LOUISIANA (LA) - the pelican state; bayou state; creole state; sportman's paradise; the boot

• ❝union, justice, confidence❞
• capital: baton rouge
• bird: brown pelican, pelecaus occidentalis
• flower: magnolia, magnolia virginiana
• 18th to join the union

MAINE (ME) - the pine tree state; vacationland

• ❝dirigo❞ - (i lead/i guide/i direct)
• capital: augusta
• bird: black-capped chickadee, poecile atricapillus
• flower: white pine cone and tassel, pinus strobus
• 23rd to join the union

MARYLAND (MD) - old line state; free state; little america; america in miniature

• ❝fatti maschii, parole femine❞ - (strong deeds, gentle words)
• capital: annapolis
• bird: baltimore oriole, icterus galbula
• flower: black-eyed susan, rudbeckia hirta
• 7th to join the union

MASSACHUSETTS (MA) - the bay state; the pilgrim state; the puritan state; the old colony state; the baked bean state

• ❝ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem❞ - (by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
• capital: boston
• bird: black-capped chickadee, poecile atricapillus
• flower: mayflower, epigaea repens
• 6th to join the union

MICHIGAN (MI) - the great lake state; the wolverine state; water (winter) wonderland

• ❝si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice❞ - (if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you)
• capital: lansing
• bird: american robin, turdus migratorius
• flower: apple blossom, malus sp.

MINNESOTA (MN) - north star state; gopher state; land of 10,000 lakes; land of sky blue waters

• ❝l'étoile du nord❞ - (the star of the north)
• capital: saint paul
• bird: common loon, gavia immer
• flower: pink-and-white lady's slipper, cypripedium reginae

MISSISSIPPI (MS) - the magnolia state; the hospitality state

• ❝virtute et armis❞ - (by valor and arms)
• capital: jackson
• bird: northern mockingbird, mimus polyglottos
• flower: magnola, magnola virginiana

MISSOURI (MO) - the show me state; the cave state; mother of the west

• ❝salus populi suprema lex esto❞ - (let the good of the people be the supreme law)
• capital: jefferson City
• bird: bluebird, sialia sialis
• flower: hawthorn, crataegus punctata
• 24th to join the union

MONTANA (MT) - big sky country; the treasure state

• ❝oro y plata❞ - (gold and silver)
• capital: helena
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: bitterroot, lewisia rediviva
• 41st to join the union

NEBRASKA (NE) - the cornhusker state

• ❝equality before the law❞
• capital: lincoln
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: goldenrod, solidago gigantea
• 37th to join the union

NEVADA (NV) - the silver state; the sagebrush state; the battle born state

• ❝all for our country❞
• capital: carson city
• bird: mountain bluebird, sialia currucoides
• flower: sagebrush, artemisia tridentata
• 36th to join the union

NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH) - the granite state; white mountain state

• ❝live free or die❞
• capital: concord
• bird: purple finch, haemorhous purpureus
• flower: purple lilac, syringa vulgaris
• 9th to join the union

NEW JERSEY (NJ) - the garden state

• ❝liberty and prosperity❞
• capital: trenton
• bird: eastern goldfinch, carduelis tristis
• flower: common meadow violet, viola sororia
• 3rd to join the union

NEW MEXICO (NM) - the land of enchantment

• ❝crescit eundo❞ - (it grows as it goes)
• capital: santa fe
• bird: greater roadrunner, geococcyx californianus
• flower: yucca flower, yucca sp.
• 47th to join the union

NEW YORK (NY) - the empire state

• ❝excelsior❞ - (ever upward)
• capital: albany
• bird: eastern bluebird, sialia sialis
• flower: rose, rosa majalis
• 11th to join the union

NORTH CAROLINA (NC) - the tarheel state; the old north state

• ❝esse quam videri❞ - (to be, rathern than to seem)
• capital: raleigh
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis carindalis
• flower: flowering dogwood, cornus florida
• 12th to join the union

NORTH DAKOTA (ND) - peace garden state

• ❝liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable❞
• capital: bismarck
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: wild prarie rose, rosa arkansana
• 39th to join the union

OHIO (OH) - the buckeye state; birthplace of aviation; the heart of it all

• ❝with god, all things are possible❞
• capital: columbus
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: red carnation, dianthus caryophyllis; great white trillium, trillium grandiflorum
• 17th to join the union (declared retroactively in 1953)

OKLAHOMA (OK) - native america; land of the red man; sooner state

• ❝labor omnia vincit❞ - (work conquers all)
• capital: oklahoma city
• bird: scissor-tailed flycatcher, tyrannus forficatus
• flower: oklahoma rose, rosa hybrid
• 46th to join the union

OREGON (OR) - the beaver state

• ❝alis volat propriis❞ - (she flies with her own wings)
• capital: salem
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: oregon grape, berberis aquifolium
• 33td to join the union

PENNSYLVANIA (PA) - the keystone state

• ❝virtue, liberty and independence❞
• capital: harrisburg
• bird: ruffled grouse, bonasa umbellus
• flower: mountain laurel, kalmia latifolia
• 2nd to join the union

RHODE ISLAND (RI) - the ocean state; litty rhody

• ❝hope❞
• capital: providence
• bird: rhode island red chicken, gallus gallus domesticus
• flower: blue violet, viola sororia
• 13th to join the union

SOUTH CAROLINA (SC) - the palmetto state

• ❝dum spiro spero❞ - (while i breathe, i hope); ❝animis opibusque parati❞ - (prepared in mind and resources)
• capital: columbia
• bird: carolina wren, thryothorus ludovicianus
• flower: yellow jessamine, gelsemium sempervirens
• 8th to join the union

SOUTH DAKOTA (SD) - the mount rushmore state

• ❝hail, south dakota!❞
• capital: pierre
• bird: ring-necked pheasant, phasianus colchicus
• flower: american pasque flower, pulsatilla nuttalliana
• 40th to join the union

TENNESSEE (TN) - the volunteer state

• ❝agriculture and commerce❞
• capital: nashville
• bird: northern mockingbird, mimus polyglottos; bobwhite quail, colinus virginianus
• flower: iris, iris; passion flower, passiflora; tennessee echinacea, echinacea tennesseensis
• 16th to join the union

TEXAS (TX) - the lone star state

• ❝friendship❞
• capital: austin
• bird: northern mockingbird, mimus polyglottos
• flower: bluebonnet, namely texas bluebonnet, lupinus texensis
• 28th to join the union

UTAH (UT) - beehive state; the mormon state; deseret

• ❝industry❞
• capital: salt lake city
• bird: california gull, larus californicus
• flower: sego lily, calochortus nuttalli
• 45th to join the union

VERMONT (VT) - the green mountain state

• ❝freedom and unity;❞ ❝stella quarta decima fulgeat❞ - (may the fourteenth star shine bright)
• capital: montpelier
• bird: hermit thrush, catharus guttatus
• flower: red clover, trifolium pratense
• 14th to join the union

VIRGINIA (VA) - old dominion; mother of presidents

• ❝sic semper tyrannis❞ - (thus always to tyrants)
• capital: richmond
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: american dogwood, cornus florida
• 10th to join the union

WASHINGTON (WA) - the evergreen state

• ❝al-ki or alki❞ - (by and by)
• capital: olympia
• bird: american goldfinch, spinus tristis
• flower: pacific rhododendron, rhododendron macrophyllum
• 42nd to join the union

WEST VIRGINIA (WV) - the mountain state

• ❝montani semper liberi❞ - (mountaineers are always free)
• capital: charleston
• bird: northern cardinal, cardinalis cardinalis
• flower: rhododendron
• 35th to join the union

WISCONSIN (WI) - the badger state; america's dairyland

• ❝forward❞
• capital: madison
• bird: american robin, turdus migratorius
• flower: wood violet, viola sororia
• 30th to join the union

WYOMING (WY) - the equality state; the cowboy state; big wyoming

• ❝equal rights❞
• capital: cheyenne
• bird: western meadowlark, sturnella neglecta
• flower: indian paintbrush, castilleja linariaefolia
• 44th to join the union