State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide

by Benjamin F. Shearer, Barbara S. Shearer

Overview

This must-have third revised and newly expanded edition of the only single reference source for information about state symbols features over 300 information updates plus three new chapters, updated license plate illustrations, and a newly formatted design for ease of use. Libraries that hold earlier editions of this work need this edition to keep their information on the states and territories current. With the addition of new chapters on state and territory universities, state and territory governors throughout U.S. history, state professional sports teams, and a complete revision of the chapter on state and territory fairs and festivals, the work now totals 17 chapters of essential information that is a treasure trove for students.

This completed redesigned reference work features chapters on state and territory names and nicknames, mottoes, seals, flags, capitals, flowers, trees, birds, songs, legal holidays and observances, license plates, postage stamps, miscellaneous designations, fairs and festivals, universities, governors, professional sports teams, and a bibliography of state and territory histories. The work features full-color illustrations of every state and territory seal, flag, flower, tree, bird, commemorative postage stamp, and license plate (updated for this edition).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313315343
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/30/2001
Edition description:	Rev and Expande
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.19(d)

About the Author

BENJAMIN F. SHEARER is Vice-President for Student Affairs at Neumann College in Aston, Pennsylvania./e He and his wife Barbara are authors or compilers of several books published by Greenwood Press.

BARBARA S. SHEARER is Director of Public Services and External Relations at the Scott Memorial Library, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia./e She and her husband Benjamin are authors or compilers of several books published by Greenwood Press.

Table of Contents

Introduction
State and Territory Names and Nicknames
State and Territory Mottoes
State and Territory Seals
State and Territory Flags
State and Territory Capitals
State and Territory Flowers
State and Territory Trees
State and Territory Birds
State and Territory Songs
State and Territory Legal Holidays and Observances
State and Territory License Plates
State and Territory Postage Stamps
Miscellaneous Official State and Territory Designations
State and Territory Fairs and Festivals
State and Territory Universities
State and Territory Governors
State Professional Sport Teams
Selected Bibliography of State and Territory Histories
Index

Editorial Reviews

A reference source for information about state symbols, featuring chapters on official state and territory names and nicknames, mottoes, seals, flags, capitols, flowers, trees, birds, songs, and miscellaneous designations. This edition updates and doubles the coverage of the original 1987 volume, adding four new chapters on state and territory legal holidays and observances, automobile license plates, festivals and fairs, and selected US postage stamps issued in honor of the states and territories. Color illustrations of seals, flags, flowers, trees, birds, license plates, and postage stamps complement the text. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

The title hardly indicates the full scope of this greatly expanded second edition. New chapters cover legal holidays and observances, automobile license plates, festivals and fairs, and U.S. postage stamps issued in honor of states and territories. Chapters from the 1987 edition on names and nicknames, mottoes, seals, flags, capitols, flowers, and other topics have in many cases been revised or expanded. The result is a book nearly double the length of the first edition (but still shorter than George Shankle's 1951 "State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols", upon which the first edition was based). U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia are now covered in addition to the 50 states. In most cases, not merely listings, but useful explanations are provided; the 30-page chapter on birds, for instance, provides information on size, range, physical description, and behavior comparable in coverage to that found in the standard field guides Other features make this a valuable reference. A 32-page four-color insert has illustrations of all state and territory symbols, seals, flags, flowers, trees, birds, automobile licenses plates, and selected commemorative stamps. The previous edition contained a 20-page color insert showing seals, flags, flowers, trees, and birds. Ample source notes at the end of chapters and a selected bibliography of state and territory histories provide excellent documentation. A detailed index follows Upper elementary and secondary school students would probably constitute the greatest audience for this work, but due to the difficulty of finding so much information on these topics in any other single source, public and academic libraries will be interested, too.

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