State Flower:

Dogwood

State Bird:

Cardinal

State Tree:

Southern Pine

State Flag:

The North Carolina state flag includes the colors of the American flag and a white star signifying it as one of the original thirteen states. May 20, 1775 refers the state's Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. April 12, 1776, is when the state authorized its delegates at the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Famous Person:

Andrew Johnson

President Andrew Johnson had a rough start in life. His father died when "Andy" was three. Instead of sending him to school, his mother made him apprentice with a local tailor. But Andy was a troubled teen who hung out with a bad crowd. In 1824 when the Widow Wells decided to prosecute Andy and his friends for throwing rocks at her window, Andy left town -- and took his tailoring tools with him. This angered the tailor who put a $10 price on Andy's head. He judiciously avoided his hometown, Raleigh, and at the age of 18, had his own tailor shop in Greenville, Tennessee where local people gathered to talk about events. To make sure everyone got their facts right Johnson paid a man at 50 cents a day to read the paper aloud to his customers. This made him popular in town and he was soon was elected Alderman, then Mayor, State Senator, Governor, and US Senator before President Lincoln chose him as his running mate in the election of 1864. Not bad for a boy who never went to school.