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Researched by Taylor S.
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Research Summary
Maine is the easternmost states in the United States. Of the six states called New England, Maine is the largest. It is as big as the other five combined. Maine has a very rocky coast and is known all around the world for its wonderful lobsters. The state capital is Augusta. Portland is the largest city, and years ago Portland was the state capital. The population of Maine in 2000 was 1,275,000. Maine has 33,128 square miles.
Did you know that Maine got its nickname of the "Pine Tree State" because the state tree is the White Pine? The state bird is the black-capped chickadee. The state animal is the moose. They named it that because it is shaped like a moose’s head. The state’s insect is the honeybee. Maine’s state cat is the coon cat and the state gemstone is the tourmaline. Maine also has a very unusual state flower. It is the white pine cone and tassel!
Did you know that in Maine’s thick forests animals like moose, black bears, foxes, minks, raccoons, bobcats, beavers and even skunks are wandering around? But that’s only on land; in little tide pools on the shore there are clams, starfish, oysters, mussels, crabs, sea anemones, seaweed, and even little fish.
In Maine there is a beach called Bar Harbor. There are lots of resorts like Bar Harbor Inn. In Bar Harbor there are many exciting things to do on the beach. There you could collect sea shells, play in the ocean, or even go out to a fancy seafood diner. If you’re there for the weekend and it snows, you might want to go skiing on Mount Katahdin. You can go sailing, kayaking, or white water rafting. If you’re the mellow type you could always go and have an evening at a symphony, a trip to a museum, go shopping at Old Port, go on a bike ride to Cape Elizabeth, or even go sailing on Casco Bay. Everything is offered to you in Maine.
Maine has a lot of big wood-industries, which are the backbone of the economy. They produce lots of toothpicks, paper, pulp, and varieties of other products made from trees. Maine produces more toothpicks than any other state in the whole world. Maine’s manufacturers use white birch to make their toothpicks. Fishing industries are very important in Maine because they are very famous for their lobsters and sea crustacean.
In Maine’s salty Atlantic ocean the lobsters thrive like crazy. This tough looking shellfish is very popular. Their lobsters are fresh, juicy, sweet, and are very tasty. The people in Maine put lobster in pastas, stews, salads, and biscuits. Over 90% of the world’s lobsters come from Maine.
Maine also has an interesting history. Have you ever heard of the Micmacs, Passamoqcoddies, or the Algonquians? They are tribes of Indians that lived in Maine. The Algonquians hunted and fished in Maine and made canoes from birch bark. A long time ago Maine was part of Massachusetts, when it was one of the 13 original colonies. Maine became a state of its own on March 15, 1820.
Some famous people to live in Maine were E.B. White and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Harriet was a young woman who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin to help other people understand how slaves were being mistreated. In the past European settlers depended on farming, fishing, furs, and lumber while they stayed in Maine.
Maine’s four seasons are different. In the winter it’s very, very
cold. Ponds freeze very quickly and out pop skiers, ice skaters,
and ice fishermen. During the winter everybody stays jolly and bright.
Next comes spring when everything begins to thaw out and daffodils and
other wild flowers perk up out of the ground. After spring,
summer comes and the temperature is still in the 60’s to 75’s but look,
here come tons of tourists flooding in and they’re all looking forward
to some fresh and juicy lobster! When fall comes each day gets colder
and colder. Everything begins to frost over and people start bundling
up again. Now you may think that Maine is quite interesting or very
boring, but I know that if you give Maine a chance you’ll fall in love.
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