texas

The Texas state flag is the 1839 national flag of the Republic of Texas. The state flag is a rectangle that has a width to length ratio of two to three. It contains one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag, and two equal horizontal stripes, with the upper stripe white, the lower stripe red, and each having a length equal to two-thirds the length of the flag. The flag has one white, regular five-pointed star. The five-pointed star is located in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point faces upward, and sized so that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe. The red and blue of the state flag are the same colors used in the United States flag. The red, white, and blue of the state flag represent, respectively, bravery, purity and loyalty.

State Pledge:  "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible."

State Seal:

There shall be a Seal of the State which shall be kept by the secretary of state, and used by him officially under the direction of the governor. The Seal of the State shall be a star of five points, encircled by olive and live oak branches, and the words, "The State of Texas." Texas Constitution, article IV, section 19.

Climate:

Texas's climate varies a lot. The Gulf Coast and parts of east Texas get most of the state's rainfall. Houston sees about 55 inches (140 cm) of rain per year - about double the state average of 27 inches (69 cm). Humidity can also be high, people sometimes feel like they're taking a bath all day long. However, it doesn't get as hot there, and winters are mild. In comparison, summers in west and southwest Texas can be scorching. Little rain falls - sometimes less than 10 inches (25 cm). The north and central parts of Texas have hot summers, too, but they get some rain - and tornadoes! More tornadoes hit Texas (mostly in the Red River Valley) than any other state. The coldest winter come in the Panhandle, where occasional northers blow in and make you think you're in the Arctic.

Geography:

Texas is big. All told, Texas covers 268,601 square miles (695,673 sq km). Rivers help form Texas boundaries. The Rio Grande is its Mexico Border, the Red River its Oklahoma border, and the Sabine its Louisiana border. Texas has four major geographical areas. The Coastal Plains are flat. The Piney Woods in east Texas form part of the plain. They are home to forests and swamps called bayous - and yes, alligators. To the west, in the middle of the state, lie the Central Plans, a great grassland with some trees. Farmers and cattle ranches like the rich soil and the oil. The High Plains are a dry and treeless grassland that covers the Panhandle and some land to the south. West Texas is mostly desert and home to cacti, lizards, and wildcats. Texas's biggest mountains are found there.

Resources and Economy:

If Texas were a country, its economy would still be as large as those of some of the biggest countries in the world. What makes business there so good? For one, lots of natural resources, like oil. Texas oil is pumped an then refined into gasoline and oil by-products like plastic, chemicals, and fertilizers. Cattle by the millions graze on the prairie grass and provide beef and leather. Crops like cotton, peanuts, and vegetables grow well in Texas's warm climate. Factories make ships, cars, and farm equipment. Computers and software have been a big part of Texas since the first computer (silicon) chip was invented there.

From Coahuiltec to Comanche:

Many Native Americans have lived in Texas, but their languages and lifestyles differed greatly. The Coahuiltec lived in the far south. They built homes of dried clay, calles adobe, and planted beans. Farther up the coast, the Karankawa relied on the seafood they caught. In the east, the Caddo lived in orderly, permanent villages. Many others, such as the Apache of central Texas, were nomadic (moving from place to place, without permanent home). They followed the buffalo, though on foot. The Comanche hunted buffalo on horseback. Their skill with horses made them a powerfull force on the Texas frontier.

Remember the Alamo:

When Mexico revolted and became independent of Spain in 1821, Texas became part of Mexico. General Santa Anna took power in Mexico and used his army to keep new settlers out of Texas. By 1836, most Texans, including many Mexicans living there, had had enough. Stephen Austin and Sam Houston recruited men for a fight and took the city of San Antonio. But Santa Anna returned with more men and met 189 Texans at the Alamo, the old Mission San Antonio de Valero. These few fought off for thousand Mexican soldiers for 13 years. At the end, no one, including famed frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, was left alive. However, a victory by Sam Houston and San Jacinto forced Santa Anna to surrender. Texas became its own country in 1836.

Six flags over Texas:

Texas has been a hot spot for a long time. It has belonged to many different countries! First Spain claimed it, then France, Spain again, and eventually Mexico. It became an independent republic in 1836 and joined the United States in 1845. In 1861 it left the United States and joined the Confederate (Southern) States of America before finally rejoining the United States after the Civil War. In keeping with the tradition of independence, Texas still like to do things their own way.

Cowboys and Cattle Drives:

There's a reason why Texas is famous for its barbecues and chilli cook-offs: it's calles beef. The open grassland and plains of Texas brought cowboys and ranchers by the thousands to raise cattle. Ather the Civil War, many former soldiers drifted west to Texas to make a living. Stray cattle from the days of the Spanish roamed wild in large herds and could be taken by anyone. Cowboys herded their cows through Texas up to Oklahoma and Kansas on the Chisholm Trail. Such cattle drives ended when the railroad came. But beef production never stopped. It's still a big Texas business.

Black Gold:

Texas had a gold rush in 1901. But it wasn't the kind of gold you would want to put in your pocket. Texas gold was black. It was oil! The discovery of oil in Beaumont, where it gushed from a well for more than a week, led to explorations all over the state. In just a year, hundreds of companies formed. As America started making and buying cars, more and more oil was needed. And Texas was happy to oblige. With the oil needs of two world wars, Texas became a world capital for oil. Money from oil helped build new industries, including the computer industry.

Four Texas Presidents:

Four modern Texans have been president. Dwight D. Eisenhower, born in Dension, helped the Allies win World War 2 before becoming president in 1953. Lyndon B. Johnson, vice president to John F. Kennedy, became president when Kennedy was shot in Dallas in 1963. George Bush, elected 1988, sent troops to fight in the Gulf War. His son, George W. Bush, served as Texas governor until he won the controversial 2000 presidential election.

History Timeline:

Thousands of years ago, Paleo-Indians hunt in Texas

A.D. 500-1500 Native American groups develop agriculture

1519 Spanisch explorer Pineda maps the Texas coast

1682 Corpus Christi de la Isleta becomes the first Spanisch mission

1685 The French establish Fort Saint Louis near Victoria

1718 The city of San Antonio begins with a Spanisch mission

1820s Stephen Austin brings in new settlers

1821 Texas becomes part of independent Mexico

1836 Texans are killed at the Battle of the Alamo, Texans win the battle of San Jacinto and gain independence from Mexico

1845 Texas become the 28th state

1861 Texas leaves the United States and supports the South in the Civil War

1870 Texas rejoins the United States

1900 Oil is discovered in Beaumont, the Great Galveston Hurricane kills eight thousand people

1958 The Silicon chip is invented in Texas

1963 President John F. Kennedy is shot dead in Dallas

State Air Force:

COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE (formerly known as the CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE)

State Bird: Mockingbird

State Dish: Chili

State Fiber and Fabric: Cotton

State Fish: Gualdalupe Bass

State Flower: Bluebonnet

State Folk Dance: Square Dance

State Fruit: Red Grapefruit

Famous People:

Barbara Jordan - First African-American congresswoman from Texas

Buddy Holly - Early rock and roll star

Dwight D. Eisenhower - Thirty-fourth U.S. president

Katherine Ann Porter - Publitzer Prize-winning writer

Mildred (Babe) Didrikson Zaharias - One of the greates all-around athletes

Miriam Amanda (Ma) Ferguson - First female governor of Texas

Nolan Ryan - Baseball pitcher and strikeout record holder

Sam Houston - Leader of Texas independende from Mexico

Sandra Cisneros - Latina writer

Scott Joplin - Musician who developed ragtime piano

Stephen Austin - Early Texas settler and founder

Van Cliburn - World-class concert pianist

Willie Nelson - Country singer and songwriter

Hilary Duff - Actress and singer

State Song:

The state song is "Texas, Our Texas" by William J. Marsh and Gladys Yoakum Wright. The lyrics are:

Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty State!
Texas, our Texas! So wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, Withstanding ev'ry test;
O Empire wide and glorious, You stand supremely blest.