Florida became the twenty-seventh state of the United States in 1845. Juan Ponce de Leon named the state Pasqua Florida, Easter festival of the flowers. The state capital is Tallahassee, and the state’s nickname is the Sunshine State. It ranks twenty-second in area and third in population. Most of the state is just above sea level. It is home to the Kennedy Space Center and Lake Okeechobee. Children could visit an Internet site at: Florida. They could also design a brochure regarding tourism in the state.
Rubber band was patented by Stephen Perry, a British citizen, in 1845. He developed the rubber band, made from natural rubber, to keep papers and envelopes together. Children could list the ways we use rubber bands today.
Lifeboat patented by Joseph Francis of New York New York, in 1845. He invented a lifeboat made from corrugated sheet iron in 1845. He received Patent Number 3,974. His invention saved 200 of 201 lives at danger when the ship Ayreshire ran aground in 1850. Children could see his patent at: Lifeboat.
United States Naval Academy opened in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1845. Fifty students were taught by seven professors. Today the academy has an enrollment around 4500, and the academic staff exceeds 500.
Iowa became the twenty-ninth state of the United States in 1846. It was named after the Iowa Indian tribe. The area was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1838 it, along with parts of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, was part of the Iowa Territory. Des Moines is the state capital, and its nickname is the Hawkeye State. Iowa ranks 26th in area and 31st in population. It is still a leading producer of corn, cattle, and hogs. Children can visit an Internet site at: Iowa. Idea: Iowa has only four letters in its name. It and two other states have the shortest names. Children could arrange the states’ names according to how many letters are in each name. Which state has the longest name?
Texas became the twenty-eighth state of the United States in 1845. Its name derives from the Caddo tavshas, meaning friends. Its nickname is the Lone Star State, and Austin is the capital. While it is the second largest state of the Union, more than three-fourths of the population lives in cities. Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio are listed in America’s ten largest cities. At one time the region that is now Texas belonged to Spain. Then Mexico claimed ownership. For a while Texas was an independent country, and then it joined the United States. Oil is a major natural resource, and the state produces cotton and cattle. The state dish is chili. Children could visit an Internet site at: Texas. They could also make and eat chili.