Texas is popularly known as the Lone Star State. The name Texas comes from the Hasinai Indian word tejas, meaning “friends” or “allies.” Texas borders the Gulf of Mexico and the country of Mexico on its south, Louisiana on the east, New Mexico on the west, and Oklahoma to the north (with a tiny corner poking into Arkansas).

Interestingly, Texas was the only state to enter the U.S. by treaty instead of territorial annexation. Texas has changed hands six times, at one point or another owned by Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and finally, the United States. Because of the six ways Texas has associated itself, the flags of six different nations fly over Texas. It’s the only state to have six flags fly over it.

The capital of Texas is Austin, fondly known as the live music capital of the world. The capitol building in Austin opened in 1888, beating out five temporary capital cities in Texas. The capitol building is made from Texas pink granite and stands seven feet higher than the nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C. – because everything is bigger in Texas.