Last Reviewed and Updated on August 1, 2022
The state of Alabama is located in the southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee borders it to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. It is a state full of natural treasures, rich history, and many other things. Explore these facts about Alabama, also known as the “Heart of Dixie.”
1. Alabama already had five capitals
Alabama’s state capital has moved five times. The capitals of Alabama were St. Stephens, Huntsville, Cahawba, and Tuscaloosa. Montgomery was the last to be selected as a capital, and it is still a capital today.
2. It has the longest state constitution
When it comes to the United States, each state has its written constitution, all having constitutions longer than that of the United States.
Out of all states, Alabama has the longest constitution. It was about 345.000 words long when it was ratified in 1901 and is even longer now. It is also the longest constitution in the world.
Constitutions of all other states are under 100.000 words.
3. The first US civil aviation school was opened in Alabama
The Wright brothers opened the Wright Flying School in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1910.
4. Most of the state is covered by forest
About 70% of the state is covered by forest. This makes Alabama one of the greenest states, and the percent of forest area is relatively higher than that of an average state.
5. The first 911 call was made in Alabama
The first 911 call in the United States was made by the Alabama Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite, on February 16, 1968, from Haleyville, Alabama.
6. Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday
Alabama sure is a state of many firsts. It was in this state that Christmas was first declared a legal holiday back in 1890.
7. Rosa Parks’ arrest took place in Alabama
The first lady of civil rights was born in Alabama, and it was in this state, that she was arrested for refusing to move from her seat on the bus. After she refused to give up her seat, the bus driver called the police and had her arrested.
Parks was supposed to give up her seat and move to the colored section of the bus, as in 1900, a law was passed in Montgomery to segregate bus passengers by color. While the law didn’t dictate that passengers of any color should move or give up their seats, this practice was adopted by many bus drivers when there were no more white-only seats left. If the bus was full, often black people were forced to leave the bus to make room, even though they paid the fare.
In her autobiography, Parks explained her decision;
“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
My story, Rosa Parks
8. Many native tribes lived in Alabama territory before the arrival of the Spanish and other settlers
There were a few indigenous tribes living in the territories now known as Alabama; even the state name originates from the Choctaw word for something along the line of “vegetation gatherers.”
The history of indigenous peoples can be traced back more than 10,000 years.
9. A rocket that launched the first man on the Moon was built in Alabama
Apollo 11 was a spacecraft that put the first man on the Moon. But Alabama-made lift launch vehicle Sputnik V was what launched Apollo 11 into space.
10. It is the only state with an official beverage being an alcoholic beverage, and it’s a state with one of the lowest drinking rates
More than half of states have an official drink, with most having milk as an official beverage. The state beverage of Alabama is Conecuh Ridge Whiskey, the only official alcoholic beverage.
Interestingly enough, even though the official beverage of Alabama is an alcoholic one, Alabamas aren’t heavy drinkers. In fact, they are well below average when it comes to drinking in the United States.