Qing Bao, the giant panda at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, reports on Maine, the Pine Tree State. Watch the cartoon, then read the facts below and try the pop quiz.
Qing Bao's State Report: Maine2:54 · Captions on screen · Sound on 🔊
At a glance
Quick facts about Maine
Capital
Augusta
Biggest city
Portland
Nickname
The Pine Tree State
Became a state
March 15, 1820 (23rd state)
Neighbor state
New Hampshire (the only one!)
State animal
Moose
State bird
Chickadee
State cat
Maine coon cat
State tree
White pine
State flower
White pine cone and tassel
State treat
Whoopie pie
Motto
Dirigo ("I direct" or "I guide")
The full report
Everything Qing Bao learned
Where is it?
Where is Maine?
Maine is way up in the northeast corner of the United States. It's the biggest of the six New England states!
Capital and cities
The capital is Augusta. The biggest city is Portland, and Bangor is to the northeast. Maine has a long, rocky coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
Just one neighbor
Maine touches just ONE other state: New Hampshire. No other state has only one neighbor! The rest is Canada and the ocean.
The Pine Tree State
Its nickname is The Pine Tree State. About 9 out of every 10 acres in Maine are forest. It is the most forested state!
History
People of the Dawnland
The Wabanaki, the "People of the Dawnland," have lived here for thousands of years. The Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Mi'kmaq nations still live in Maine today.
A snowy island
In 1604, French explorers, including Samuel de Champlain, spent a long, icy winter on Saint Croix Island. That was three years before the English settled Jamestown, Virginia!
A brand-new state
For a long time, Maine was part of Massachusetts. On March 15, 1820, Maine became its own state: the 23rd state!
A new capital
At first, the capital was Portland. In 1832, it moved to Augusta, closer to the middle of the state.
A park by the sea
In 1919, land on Mount Desert Island became the first national park east of the Mississippi River. Today it is called Acadia National Park.
State Symbols
State animal
The state animal is the moose, the biggest member of the deer family. Tens of thousands of moose live in the Maine woods!
Bird and cat
The state bird is the chickadee. It is named for its call: "chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" The state cat is the Maine coon, one of the biggest pet cat breeds.
Tree and "flower"
The state tree is the white pine and the state flower is the white pine cone and tassel. It isn't even a flower!
Berry, dessert and treat
The state berry is the wild blueberry. Maine grows almost all of America's wild blueberries! The state dessert is blueberry pie, and the state treat is the whoopie pie!
Lobster and motto
The state crustacean is the lobster. Maine catches more lobsters than any other state! The state motto is "Dirigo." That's Latin for "I direct" or "I guide."
Fun Facts
First sunrise
Cadillac Mountain, in Acadia National Park, is 1,530 feet tall. From October 7 to March 6, its top is the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise!
Lighthouses
More than 60 lighthouses guide ships along Maine's rocky coast. Portland Head Light was first lit in 1791. It's the oldest lighthouse in Maine!
Pop quiz
Test yourself
Pick an answer, then open the box to check.
How many other states does Maine touch?
Just one
Five
A million bamboo states
Show the answer
A: Just one. Just one: New Hampshire.
What is Maine's state animal?
Alligator
Unicorn in a raincoat
Moose
Show the answer
C: Moose. The moose, the biggest member of the deer family.
What is Maine's state "flower"?
A red rose
The white pine cone and tassel
A sunflower
Show the answer
B: The white pine cone and tassel. The white pine cone and tassel. Not even a flower!
For teachers and families
You're welcome to show this cartoon in class or share it with students. It's free under CC BY 4.0; just credit “Qing Bao Fan Club, qingbaofans.com.” The captions are on screen, so it works with the sound off too.