North Carolina

North Carolina Facts, Map and State Symbols

North Carolina was the 12^th state in the USA; it became a state on November 21, 1789.

State Abbreviation - NC
State Capital - Raleigh
Largest City - Charlotte
Area - 53,821 square miles [North Carolina is the28th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 8,049,313 (as of 2000) [North Carolina is the 11th most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - North Carolinians
Major Industries - farming (tobacco, poultry), textiles, furniture

Presidential Birthplaces
James Knox Polk was born in Mecklenburg County on November 2, 1795 (he was the 11th US President, serving from 1845 to 1849).

Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh on December 29, 1808 (he was the 17th US President, serving from 1865 to 1869).

Major Rivers - Neuse River, Roanoke River, Yadkin River
Major Lakes - Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Phelps, Lake Waccamaw
Highest Point - Mt. Mitchell - 6,684 feet (2,037 m) above sea level
Number of Counties - 100
Bordering States - Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

Origin of the Name North Carolina - North Carolina was named to honor King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles). State Nickname - Tar Heel State
State Motto - "Esse Quam Videri" (To Be Rather Than to Seem)
State Song - The Old North State

Dinosaur Fossils Found in North Carolina - Hypsibema, Lophorhothon, Zatomus 

North Carolina State Symbols and Emblems:

State FlagNorth Carolina's official flag was adopted in 1885. This red, white, and blue flag has a white star, the letters N C around the star (standing for North Carolina), and two yellow scrolls, above and below, bearing dates. The upper date, May 20th, 1775, commemorates the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence(named for Mecklenburg County, where North Carolina citizens met to declare their freedom from Great Britain, although the original document was destroyed and some people have questioned its existence). The lower date, April 12th, 1776, commemorates the adoption of theHalifax Resolves (this was the first official action by a colony calling for independence from Britain).

Animal Symbols:

State Bird Cardinal

State Mammal Gray squirrel

State Dog Plott hound

State Shell Scotch bonnet

State Reptile Eastern box turtle

State Fish Channel bass

Plant Symbols:

State FlowerFlowering dogwood(Cornus florida )

State Tree Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

State Vegetable Sweet potato

Earth Symbols:

State RockGranite

State Precious StoneEmerald

State SoilNorth Carolina Cecil

Miscellaneous Symbols:

State ColorsRed and Blue

State BeverageMilk

State Historical BoatShad Boat

Related Pages:

North Carolina: Map/Quiz PrintoutAnswer geography questions about North Carolina using the map on this quiz. Answers

North Carolina: Label Me! PrintoutLabel the major features of North Carolina. Answers

North Carolina: Outline Map PrintoutAn outline map of North Carolina state to print.

North Carolina: US State Dot to Dot Mystery MapConnect the dots to draw the borders of a mystery state of the USA. Then use a globe or atlas to figure out which state you have drawn. You might want to give students clues, such as that it is in the eastern USA, that its capital is Raleigh, or that its name starts with "N." Answer: North Carolina.

North Carolina's Flag Printout/QuizRead about and answer questions on the flag of North Carolina.

North Carolina's Flag: Large Coloring PrintableA large black-and-white printable of the flag of North Carolina.

Your State: Draw and WriteDraw a map of the state that you live in (in the USA) and write about it.	US State - Find Related WordsFor a US state, write eight words related to the state, then use each word in a sentence.	US State Graphic OrganizerFor one US state, write the name of the state, draw a map of the state, then write the state capital, postal abbreviation, date of statehood, state bird (draw and write), state flower (draw and write), a major body of water in the state, two bordering states, and state nickname.	US State Report Graphic Organizer Printout #1This printout helps the student do a short report on a US state, prompting the student to draw a map of the state, locate it on a US map, draw the state's flag, and write its capital city, state nickname, area, population, date of statehood, and state bird.
US State Report Graphic Organizer Printout #2This printout helps the student do a short report on a US state, prompting the student to draw a map of the state, locate it on a US map, draw the state's flag, and write its capital city, state nickname, area, population, date of statehood, state bird, state flower, climate, and major industries.	US State Printable BookA short, printable book on a US state. To complete the book, the student must research a US state, draw its map, draw its flag, and answer simple questions about the state.	USA Map: Find Your StateFind and label your state in the USA, and label other important geography. Answers	USA Map: Where I LiveWrite your country, state, and city, and then find and label your state (and a few other geographical features).
Write Ten Things About Your StateA one-page printable worksheet. Write ten things about your state (plus one thing you would like to change).	US State WheelThis 2-page print-out makes a wheel about a single US state; the student fills out the information on the wheel. It consists of a base page together with a rear wheel that spins around. After putting the wheel together, the student follows the instructions on the front wheel (coloring in the state on a US map and drawing a small map of the state) and fills out the 12 sections of the wheel with information about one state. When you spin the wheel, facts about the US State appear, including: Biggest Cities, Capital, Flag, Bodies of Water, Postal Abbreviation, State Bird, Population (rank), Area (rank), Residents Called, Bordered by, Major Industries, and Entered Union (order).	US State - Find a Related Word for Each LetterFor a US state, see if you can think of and write down a word or phrase that is related to that state for each letter of the alphabet. Think of cities, famous people from the state, bodies of water, mountains, landmarks, and other features. Find words for as many letters as you can.	The CensusA census is an official count of the number of people in a region. The survey is done by a government, usually periodically. This page explains how and why censuses are taken.
Census: Printable Read-and-Answer WorksheetA printable worksheet on the census, with a short text to read, a map to color, and questions to answer. Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf file with the worksheet and the answers.