All About Alabama

 Alabama was the name of a Native American tribe who is believed to have taken its name from the Choctaw word/s for 'clearers of the thicket' or 'herb gatherers.'

Settled by the French in 1702, the area passed to the British, then to the Spanish over the next 100 years until it was annexed by the United States in 1810.  Alabama became the 22nd state of the United States in 1819.

The state capitol, Montgomery is today remembered for the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955/1956 and the Selma to Montgomery Marches in 1965.  These were major events in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Image:  Location of state of Alabama in the United States

Historically, the economy in Alabama was based in agriculture due in large part to the fertility of the land and slave labor before the Civil War.  After the Civil War, the state's economy remained dependent on agriculture ~ mainly cotton.

Today, Alabama has expanded their economy to include aerospace, education, health care, banking, and heavy industries like automobile manufacturing, mineral extraction, steel production and fabrication. 

Alabama produces iron and steel, paper, lumber and wood products, coal, plastic products, cars and trucks; and apparel.  Notably, significant expansion in automobile manufacturing has helped the state's economy grow.  Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Mercedes Benz all have manufacturing facilities in Alabama.

The state unemployment rate in Alabama was 9.3% in October 2011, down from 10% in July 2011.

Image:  Alabama State Flag

 Alabama has two nicknames, interestingly.  Officially, the state's nickname is the "Heart of Dixie," which refers to its regional location within in the Southern United States - which is itself known as Dixie. This region of the country is generally accepted  to be the 11 states that seceded from the United States to make up the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.   These states are Texas, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and North Carolina. 

Personally, I was honestly surprised to learn that Texas is considered a part of Dixie as I usually see it referred to as 'the West.' 

Alabama is also sometimes called the yellowhammer state.  Yellowhammer is another name for the Northern Flicker, the Alabama state bird.

Alabama is also home to the University of Alabama and Crimson Tide Football.  All of the University of Alabama's athletic teams are known as the Crimson Tide, but it's the UA football program that's legendary. Let me tell you that cool little story.  I like it & I think you will too.

The Crimson Tide nickname was created when a sports reporter called the UA offensive line a Crimson Tide because their jerseys were stained red from the Alabama mud.  It must have been a very exciting game because their opponents were the favorites to win.  You see, it had been raining hard during the game against Auburn University in Birmingham...back in 1907.