North Carolina
State Facts
State Bird
The North Carolina assembly
officially recognized the state bird
as the Cardinal on March 4th, 1943.
As permanent residents, cardinals
nest in woodland margins and
shrubbery, with eggs usually laid
before the end of April.
State Flower
Flowering Dogwood. As the first
state symbol to be chosen, the
Dogwood grows naturally as a
small tree in North Carolina’s
forests. During fall and winter,
many kinds of animals eat the
flower’s shiny red fruits.
State Mammal
The Gray Squirrel was chosen as the state mammal in 1969.
Gray squirrels are found throughout the state.
State Reptile
Eastern Box Turtle. This well-known turtle is most common
in and near wooded areas. It is frequently seen on roads,
where great numbers are killed every year. Box turtles have
been known to live 80 to 100 years.
State Insect
The Honey Bee. Not a native
species, the Honey Bee was
brought to North America by
settlers from Europe. Bees
produce natural sweeteners,
beeswax and a host of other
products.
State Nickname
The Tarheel State
State Sea Shell
The Scotch Bonnet. The
choice of the Scotch
Bonnet pays tribute to the
Scottish settlers in the
state who came here in the
1600’s and 1700’s. The
shell is often occupied by
a snail or hermit crab.
The State Fish
Channel Bass. Often called the Red Drum because of its copperred color, the Channel Bass was designated the state salt-water
fish in 1971. Channel Bass can weigh 50 – 100 pounds and live
approximately 30 years if not caught.
State Stone
The Emerald was adopted in 1973. A brilliant, transparent
form of the mineral beryl, the emerald occurs in nature as
a hexagonal crystal with a deep green color and a glasslike luster. Large deposits of the stone are usually found
in Mitchell and Alexander Counties.
State Tree
The pine tree is the official state tree. There are eight native species of
pine trees across the state. Pine trees provide not only food for birds
and a host of other animals, but it also provides lumber, pulpwood for
paper making and resins for varnishes and other commercial products.
Largest City
Charlotte
State Dog
The Plott Hound is one of only
four breeds known to have
originated in America and the only
breed that originated in North
Carolina.
State Beverage
Milk
State Rock
Granite. North Carolina is home to
one of the largest granite quarries
in the world. Granite is an allimportant building material that
has been used in structures
throughout the country and world.
State Berries
Blueberries
Strawberries
Highest Point Above Sea Level
Mt. Mitchell - 6,684 square feet
State Plant
The Venus Fly Trap
State Capital
Raleigh
First English Colony
Roanoke, 1587
First European Child Born Here
Virginia Dare, Roanoke
Colony
Number of Counties
100
State Seal
State Motto:
Esse Quam Videri
(To Be Rather Than To Seem)
State Dance
Clogging
State Vegetable
Sweet Potato
What do the dates on the flag stand for?
What do they mean?
• INDEPENDENCE!
• The Halifax and Mecklenberg Resolves. These are
historic events where delegates from North Carolina
met and declared independence from Great Britain
prior to the Declaration of Independence on July 4th,
1776.
The State Song
Carolina! Carolina! heaven's blessings attend her,
While we live we will cherish, protect and defend her,
Tho' the scorner may sneer at and witlings defame her,
Still our hearts swell with gladness whenever we name her.
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State. Tho' she envies not
others, their merited glory,
Say whose name stands the foremost, in liberty's story,
Tho' too true to herself e'er to crouch to oppression,
Who can yield to just rule a more loyal submission.
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.
Then let all those who love us, love the land that we live in,
As happy a region as on this side of heaven,
Where plenty and peace, love and joy smile before us,
Raise aloud, raise together the heart thrilling chorus.
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.
1. If you could create and establish a new
motto, song, insect, mammal, etc., for North
Carolina, what would it be and why? Give
three reasons to support your answer.
Ch. 1, Sec. 1
The Geography of North Carolina
How have regional variations of land, climate,
and resources in NC affected patterns of
settlement and the economy?
General Facts and Characteristics
• NC belongs to the
geographic region of the US
called the South.
• It shares a border to the
north with Virginia, to the
south by South Carolina and
Georgia, to the west by
Tennessee and to the east
by Atlantic Ocean.
• NC ranks 28th among the 50
states in size. The total land
area is 48,711 square miles.
• It’s climate is described as
moderate.
• There are 100 counties
within North Carolina.
North Carolina’s Land Regions
•
•
•
NC’s topography, or physical
terrain is divided into three
geographical regions. A
geographical region is
described as being a large area
or land with a common set of
features.
The three regions are the
Mountains, Piedmont, and the
Coastal Plain. The Coastal
Plain has been divided further
into the inner coastal plain and
the outer, or Tidewater.
Elevation is used to identify
these three major regions.
The Tidewater and the Coastal Plain
• Stretching for approximately 150 miles, the broad, flat region
called the Coastal Plain has an elevation of 500ft. to sea level.
• Another characteristic of the Coastal Plain is the Tidewater and
the Outer Banks. Here, numerous swamps, lakes, and rivers
saturate the region.
• Several large sounds, or channels of water separating the
islands of the Outer Banks from the mainland are found here.
The Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds are two of these, with the
Pamlico Sound being the largest on the east coast.
• The Outer Banks has often been called the “Graveyard of the
Atlantic” because of the regions violent storms, strong
currents and sandbars.
• The Outer Banks refers to the long chain of sandy islands that
form NC’s eastern coastline.
The Piedmont
• The Piedmont climbs in
elevation from 500ft to 1500ft
at its western border. The
region is separated from the
Coastal Plain by the Fall
Line, or the point at which
rocky rapids and waterfalls
form, thus making
movement difficult.
• The Piedmont is the region
where the vast majority of
the state’s population, cities,
and industries are located.
The Mountains
•
•
•
The Appalachian Mountains
form this region in NC. The
Appalachian Mountain range
stretches for over 2,000 miles,
from Newfoundland in Canada
to the state of Alabama.
The mountains were given their
name in 1540 by Hernando de
Soto, who became the first
European to step foot in the
region.
The elevation ranges from
1500ft to well above 6000ft and
most scientists believe that
these mountains may be the
oldest mountains in the world.
1.
2.
3.
Topography refers to ___________________.
Identify which two regions the Coastal Plain includes.
The name of the geographic feature that divides the Piedmont and Coastal
Plain is the _______________________.
4.
The Piedmont a) borders the east end of the Outer Banks b) has numerous
swamps, lakes, and rivers c) protects the mainland from the direct effects of
ocean storms d) is farther above sea level than the Coastal Plain.
5.
Which geographic features are characteristic of the Outer Banks? A) rapids
and waterfalls b) clay soil and sticky mud c) sandbanks and barrier islands d)
mountains and glaciers
6.
7.
List all the states that border North Carolina.
North Carolina ranks _____ in size and there are _____ counties.
8. North Carolina is bordered to the north by __________ and to the
south by ____________________________.
9. This region in NC contains the most people, industry, and agriculture.
10. _____________ is used to identify different land regions.
11. ____________________ named the Appalachian Mountain range in
1540.
12. The Coastal Plain is divided into two sub-regions called the
_____________ and __________.
13. The Outer Banks are often called the
________________________________ because of the many shipwrecks
that have occurred there throughout North Carolina’s history.
14. The _____________ sound is the largest in the eastern United States.
15. The approximate elevation of the Mountain region is from
___________ to __________.