Alabama
State of Alabama | |||||||||||
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Official language(s) | English | ||||||||||
Spoken language(s) | English 96.17%, Spanish 2.12% |
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Capital | Montgomery | ||||||||||
Largest city | Birmingham (229,424, est. 2006)[1] |
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Largest metro area | Greater Birmingham Area | ||||||||||
Area | Ranked 30th | ||||||||||
- Total | 52,419 sq mi (135,765 km²) |
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- Width | 190 miles (306 km) | ||||||||||
- Length | 330 miles (531 km) | ||||||||||
- % water | 3.20 | ||||||||||
- Latitude | 30° 11′ N to 35° N | ||||||||||
- Longitude | 84° 53′ W to 88° 28′ W | ||||||||||
Population | Ranked 23rd | ||||||||||
- Total (2000) | 4,447,100 | ||||||||||
- Density | 84.83/sq mi 33.84/km² (26th) |
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Elevation | |||||||||||
- Highest point | Mount Cheaha[2] 2,407 ft (734 m) |
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- Mean | 499 ft (152 m) | ||||||||||
- Lowest point | Gulf of Mexico[2] 0 ft (0 m) |
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Admission to Union | December 14, 1819 (22nd) | ||||||||||
Governor | Bob R. Riley (R) | ||||||||||
U.S. Senators | Richard Shelby (R) Jeff Sessions (R) |
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Congressional Delegation | List | ||||||||||
Time zone | Central: UTC-6/DST-5 | ||||||||||
Abbreviations | AL US-AL | ||||||||||
Web site | www.alabama.gov |
The State of Alabama (IPA: /ˌæ.ləˈbæ.mə/), is located in the southern region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland waterways. The state ranks 23rd in population with almost 4.6 million residents in 2006.[3]
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship. In the years following the war, Alabama experienced significant recovery as the economy of the state transitioned from agriculture to diversified interests in heavy manufacturing, mineral extraction, education, and high technology. Today, the state is heavily invested in the aerospace, education, health care, banking, and various heavy industries including automobile manufacturing, mineral extraction, steel production and fabrication.
Alabama is officially nicknamed the Yellowhammer state, which is also the name of the state bird. Alabama is also known as the "Heart of Dixie." The capital of Alabama is Montgomery, and the largest city is Birmingham (in Jefferson County).
Contents |
Etymology of state name
The Alabama, an Upper Creek tribe which resided just below the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers on the upper reaches of the Alabama River,[4] served as the etymological source of the names of the river and state. The word Alabama is believed to have originated from the Choctaw language[5] and was later adopted by the Alabama tribe as their name.[6] The spelling of the word varies significantly between sources.[6] The first usage appears in three accounts of the Hernando de Soto expedition of 1540 with Garcilasso de la Vega using Alibamo while the Knight of Elvas and Rodrigo Ranjel wrote Alibamu and Limamu, respectively.[6] As early as 1702, the tribe was known to the French as Alibamon with French maps identifying the river as Rivière des Alibamons.[4] Other spellings of the appellation have included Alibamu, Alabamo, Albama, Alebamon, Alibama, Alibamou, Alabamu, and Allibamou.[6][7][8] The use of state names derived from Indian languages is common with an estimated 27 states having names of Indian origin.[9]
Although the origin of Alabama was evident, the meaning of the tribe's name was not always clear. An article without a byline appearing in the Jacksonville Republican on July 27, 1842 originated the idea that the meaning was "Here We Rest."[6] This notion was popularized in the 1850s through the writings of Alexander Beaufort Meek.[6] Experts in the Muskogean languages have been unable to find any evidence that would support this translation.[4][6] It is now generally accepted that the word comes from the Choctaw words alba (meaning "plants" or "weeds") and amo (meaning "to cut", "to trim", or "to gather").[6][5][10] This results in translations such as "clearers of the thicket"[5] or even "herb gatherers"[10][11] which may refer to clearing of land for the purpose of planting crops[7] or to collection of medicinal plants by medicine men.[11]
Geography
- See also: List of Alabama counties
Alabama is the 30th largest state in the United States with 52,423 square miles (135,775 km²) of total area: 3.19% of the area is water, making Alabama 23rd in the amount of surface water, also giving it the second largest inland waterway system in the United States.[12] About three-fifths of the land area is a gentle plain with a general descent towards the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The North Alabama region is mostly mountainous, with the Tennessee River cutting a large valley creating numerous creeks, streams, rivers, mountains, and lakes.[13] Another natural wonder in Alabama is "Natural Bridge" rock, the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies, located just south of Haleyville, in Winston County.
Alabama generally ranges in elevation from sea level,[2] at Mobile Bay, to a little more than 1,800 feet (550 m) in the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast. The highest point is Mount Cheaha[13] (see map), at an elevation of nearly 2405 ft (733 m).
States bordering Alabama include Tennessee to the north; Georgia to the east; Florida to the south; and Mississippi to the west. Alabama has coastline at the Gulf of Mexico, in the extreme southern edge of the state.[13]
National Parks in Alabama include Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Daviston; Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne; Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport; Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Tuskegee; and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site near Tuskegee[14] (east of Montgomery).
Alabama also contains the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail, and the Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail.
Baldwin County, along the Gulf Coast, is the largest county in the state in both land area and water area. [15]
A 5 mile wide mereorite impact crater is found in Elmore County, just north of Montgomery. This the is the Wetumpka crater which is the site of "Alabama's greatest natural disaster."[16] A 1000-foot-wide meteorite hit the area about 80 million years ago.[17] The hills just east of downtown Wetumpka showcase the eroded remains of the impact crater that was blasted into the bedrock, with the area labeled the Wetumpka crater or astrobleme ("star-wound") because of the concentric rings of fractures and zones of shattered rock that can be found beneath the surface.[18] In 2002, Christian Koeberl with the Institute of Geochemistry University of Vienna published evidence and established the site as an internationally recognized impact crater.[19]
Urban areas
- See also: List of cities in Alabama
Rank | Metropolitan Area | Population |
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1 | Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman CSA | 1,184,212 |
2 | Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope CSA | 588,246 |
3 | Montgomery MSA | 469,268 |
4 | Huntsville MSA | 374,557 |
5 | Tuscaloosa MSA | 196,885 |
6 | Decatur MSA | 149,549 |
7 | Florence-Muscle Shoals MSA | 142,657 |
8 | Dothan MSA | 138,234 |
9 | Auburn-Opelika MSA | 125,102 |
10 | Anniston-Oxford MSA | 108,633 |
11 | Gadsden MSA | 104,782 |
Climate
The climate of Alabama is described as temperate with an average annual temperature of 64°F (18°C). Temperatures tend to be warmer in the southern part of the state with its close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, while the northern parts of the state, especially in the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast, tend to be slightly cooler.[20] Generally, Alabama has very hot summers and mild winters with copious precipitation throughout the year. Alabama receives an average of 56 inches of rainfall annually and enjoys a lengthy growing season of up to 300 days in the southern part of the state. [21]
Summers in Alabama are among the hottest in the United States, with high temperatures averaging over 90 °F throughout the summer in the entire state. Alabama is also prone to tropical storms and even hurricanes. Areas of the state far away from the Gulf are not immune to the effects of the storms, which often dump tremendous amounts of rain as they move inland and weaken.
South Alabama reports more thunderstorms than any part of the US outside of Florida. The Gulf Coast, around Mobile Bay, averages between 70 and 80 days per year with thunder reported. This activity decreases somewhat further north in the state, but even the far north of the state reports thunder on about 60 days per year. Occasionally, thunderstorms are with frequent lightning and large hail - the central and northern parts of the state are most vulnerable to this type of storm. Alabama ranks seventh in the number of deaths from lightning and ninth in the number of deaths from lightning strikes per capita. [22] Sometimes Tornadoes occur - these are common throughout the state, although the peak season for tornadoes varies from the northern to southern parts of the state. Alabama shares the dubious distinction, with Kansas, of having reported more F5 tornadoes than any other state - according to statistics from the National Climatic Data Center for the period 1 January 1950 to 31 October 2006. An F5 tornado is the most powerful of its kind.[23] Several long - tracked F5 tornadoes have contributed to Alabama reporting more tornado fatalities than any other state except for Texas and Mississippi. The Super Outbreak of March, 1974, badly affected Alabama. The northern part of the state - along the Tennessee Valley - is one of the areas in the US most vulnerable to violent tornadoes. The area of Alabama and Mississippi most affected by tornadoes is sometimes referred to as , as distinct from the Tornado Alley of the Southern Plains. Alabama is one of the few places in the world that has a secondary tornado season (November and December) in addition to the Spring severe weather season.
Winters are generally mild in Alabama, as they are throughout most of the southeastern United States, with average January low temperatures around 40 °F in Mobile and around 32°F in Birmingham. Snow is a rare event in much of Alabama. Areas of the state north of Montgomery may receive a dusting of snow a few times every winter, with an occasional moderately heavy snowfall every few years. In the southern Gulf coast, snowfall is less frequent, sometimes going several years without any snowfall.
Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Alabama cities | ||||||||||||
City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Birmingham | 53/32 | 58/35 | 66/42 | 74/48 | 81/58 | 88/65 | 91/70 | 90/69 | 85/63 | 75/51 | 64/42 | 56/35 |
Huntsville | 49/31 | 55/34 | 63/41 | 72/48 | 80/58 | 86/65 | 89/70 | 89/68 | 83/62 | 73/50 | 62/41 | 52/34 |
Mobile | 61/40 | 64/42 | 71/49 | 77/55 | 84/63 | 89/69 | 91/72 | 91/72 | 87/68 | 79/56 | 70/48 | 63/42 |
Montgomery | 58/36 | 62/39 | 70/45 | 78/51 | 85/60 | 91/67 | 93/71 | 92/70 | 88/65 | 79/52 | 69/44 | 60/38 |
[2] |
History
Historical populations | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1800 | 1,250 |
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1810 | 9,046 | 623.7% | |
1820 | 127,901 | 1313.9% | |
1830 | 309,527 | 142.0% | |
1840 | 590,756 | 90.9% | |
1850 | 771,623 | 30.6% | |
1860 | 964,201 | 25.0% | |
1870 | 996,992 | 3.4% | |
1880 | 1,262,505 | 26.6% | |
1890 | 1,513,401 | 19.9% | |
1900 | 1,828,697 | 20.8% | |
1910 | 2,138,093 | 16.9% | |
1920 | 2,348,174 | 9.8% | |
1930 | 2,646,248 | 12.7% | |
1940 | 2,832,961 | 7.1% | |
1950 | 3,061,743 | 8.1% | |
1960 | 3,266,740 | 6.7% | |
1970 | 3,444,165 | 5.4% | |
1980 | 3,893,888 | 13.1% | |
1990 | 4,040,587 | 3.8% | |
2000 | 4,447,100 | 10.1% |
Among the Native American people once living in the area of present day Alabama were Alabama (Alibamu), Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Koasati, and .[24] Trade with the Northeast via the Ohio River began during the Burial Mound Period (1000 BC-A.D. 700) and continued until European contact.[25] Meso-American influence is evident in the agrarian Mississippian culture that followed.
The French founded the first European settlement in the state with the establishment of Mobile in 1702.[26] Southern Alabama was French from 1702 to 1763, part of British West Florida from 1763 to 1780, and part of Spanish West Florida from 1780 to 1814. Northern and central Alabama was part of British Georgia from 1763 to 1783 and part of the American Mississippi territory thereafter. Its statehood was delayed by the lack of a coastline; rectified when Andrew Jackson captured Spanish Mobile in 1814.[27] Alabama was the twenty-second state admitted to the Union, in 1819.
The economy of the central "Black Belt" featured large rich slave plantations that grew cotton.[28] Elsewhere poor whites were subsistence farmers. Alabama seceded from the union in 1861 to join the Confederate States of America. Following the Civil War Alabama was readmitted to the union in 1868. While not many battles were fought in the state, Alabama contributed about 120,000 soldiers to the Civil War. All the slaves were freed by 1865.[29] After a period of Reconstruction it emerged as a poor rural state, still tied to cotton, with high racial tensions between the ruling whites and the recently emancipated blacks, who had second-class legal, social and economic status.[28] The blacks lost the right to vote in 1901, and, after 1917, many migrated to northern cities.
Politically, the state was one-party Democratic, and produced a number of national leaders. World War II brought prosperity.[28] Cotton faded in importance as the state developed a manufacturing and service base. In the 1960s, under Governor George Wallace, the state opposed federal integration efforts. After the passage of the Civil Rights Laws of 1964 and 1965, African Americans regained the right to vote and de jure segregation as Jim Crow laws were invalidated or repealed.[30] After 1972, the state became a Republican stronghold in presidential elections (as with most of its neighboring states), and, since 1990 especially, has become increasingly Republican in state elections.[31]
Demographics
As of 2005, Alabama has an estimated population of 4,557,808,[32] which is an increase of 32,433, or 0.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 110,457, or 2.5%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 77,418 people (that is 319,544 births minus 242,126 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 36,457 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 25,936 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 10,521 people.
The state had 108,000 foreign-born (2.4% of the state population), of which an estimated 22.2% were illegal aliens (24,000).
The center of population of Alabama is located in Chilton County, outside of the town of Jemison, an area known as Jemison Division.[33]
Race and ancestry
The racial makeup of the state and comparison to the prior census:
Demographics of Alabama (csv) | |||||
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By race | White | Black | AIAN | Asian | NHPI |
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native - NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | |||||
2000 (total population) | 72.56% | 26.33% | 1.00% | 0.89% | 0.07% |
2000 (Hispanic only) | 1.48% | 0.18% | 0.04% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
2005 (total population) | 72.14% | 26.70% | 0.98% | 1.02% | 0.07% |
2005 (Hispanic only) | 2.08% | 0.17% | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.01% |
Growth 2000-2005 (total population) | 1.90% | 3.95% | -0.06% | 17.43% | 4.90% |
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only) | 1.02% | 3.97% | -0.55% | 17.47% | 6.67% |
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only) | 43.85% | 1.05% | 11.46% | 16.20% | -2.17% |
The largest reported ancestry groups in Alabama: American (17.0%), English (7.8%), Irish (7.7%), German (5.7%), and Scots-Irish (2.0%). 'American' does not include those reported as Native American.
Religion
In a 2007 survey, nearly 70% of respondents could name all four of the Christian Gospels. Of those who indicated a religious preference, 59% said they possessed a "full understanding" of their faith and needed no further learning.[34] In a 2007 poll, 92% of Alabamians reported having at least some confidence in churches in the state.[35] [36]
Economy
According to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, the 2005 total gross state product was $151 billion. This is an increase of 4.5% over 2004 and ranks Alabama number 15 in terms of state level GDP growth. The single largest increase came in the area of durable goods manufacturing.[37] In 1999, per capita income for the state was $18,189.[38] Alabama's agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs, cattle, plant nursery items, peanuts, cotton, grains such as corn and sorghum, vegetables, milk, soybeans, and peaches. Although known as "The Cotton State", Alabama ranks between eight and ten in national cotton production, according to various reports,[39][40] with Texas, Georgia and Mississippi comprising the top three. Alabama's industrial outputs include iron and steel products (including cast-iron and steel pipe); paper, lumber, and wood products; mining (mostly coal); plastic products; cars and trucks; and apparel. Also, Alabama produces aerospace and electronic products, mostly in the Huntsville area, which is home of the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and the US Army Missile Command, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal.
Alabama is also home to the largest industrial growth corridor in the nation, including the surrounding states of Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. Most of this growth is due to Alabama's rapidly expanding automotive manufacturing industry which in Alabama alone since its birth in 1993 (and has spread to other states), has generated over 67,800 new jobs. Alabama currently ranks 2nd in the nation behind Detroit in automobile output, but with recent expansions at sites in Alabama, the state by the first of 2009 will surpass Detroit, and become the largest builder of automobiles in North America.
In May 2007, a site north of Mobile was selected by German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp for a $3.7 billion steel production plant, with the promise of 2,700 permanent jobs.[41]
The city of Mobile, Alabama's only saltwater port, is a busy seaport on the Gulf of Mexico, and with inland waterway access to the Midwest via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Alabama levies a 2, 4, or 5% personal income tax, depending upon the amount earned and filing status. The state's general sales tax rate is 4%.[42] The collection rate could be substantially higher, depending upon additional city and county sales taxes. The corporate income tax rate is currently 6.5%. The overall federal, state, and local tax burden in Alabama ranks the state as the second least tax-burdened state in the country.[43]
Alabama as recently as 2003 had an annual budget deficit as high as $670 million, yet is one of only a few handful of states to turn around into large surpluses with its current state's budget surplus at nearly $1.2 billion for 2007, and estimated over $2.1 billion for 2008.
Transportation
Alabama has five major interstate roads that cross it: I-65 runs north-south roughly through the middle of the state; I-59/I-20 travels from the central west border to Birmingham, where I-59 continues to the north-east corner of the state and I-20 continues east towards Atlanta; I-85 goes from the border of Georgia and ends in Montgomery, providing a main thoroughfare to Atlanta; and I-10 traverses the southernmost portion of the state, running from west to east through Mobile. Another interstate road, I-22, is currently under construction. When completed (est. 2012), it will connect Birmingham with Memphis, Tennessee.
Major airports in Alabama include Birmingham International Airport (BHM), Dothan Regional Airport (DHN), Huntsville International Airport (HSV), Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), Muscle Shoals - Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (TCL), and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU).
Water ports
Listed from north to south
Port name | Location | Connected to |
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Port of Guntersville | Guntersville, on Lake Guntersville | Tennessee River |
Port of Birmingham | Birmingham, on Black Warrior River | Tenn-Tom Waterway |
Port of Decatur | Decatur, on Wheeler Lake | Tennessee River |
Port of Muscle Shoals | Florence/Muscle Shoals, on Wilson Lake | Tennessee River |
Port of Tuscaloosa | Tuscaloosa, on Black Warrior River | Tenn-Tom Waterway |
Port of Montgomery | Montgomery, on | Alabama River |
Port of Mobile | Mobile, on Mobile Bay | Gulf of Mexico |
Law and government
State government
The foundational document for Alabama's government is the Alabama Constitution, which was ratified in 1901. At more than 770 amendments and 310,000 words, it is the world's longest constitution and is roughly forty times the length of the U.S. Constitution.[44][45]
Alabama is divided into three equal branches:
The legislative branch is the Alabama Legislature, a bicameral assembly composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members. The Legislature is responsible for writing, debating, passing, or defeating state legislation.
The executive branch is responsible for the execution and oversight of laws. It is headed by the Governor of Alabama. Other members of executive branch include the cabinet, the Attorney General of Alabama, the , the , the , and the .
The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and applying the law in state criminal and civil cases. The highest court is the Supreme Court of Alabama.
Local and county government
Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has its own elected legislative branch, usually called the Board of Commissioners, which usually also has executive authority in the county. Due to the restraints placed in the Alabama Constitution, all but 7 counties (Jefferson, Lee, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa) in the state have little to no home rule. Instead, most counties in the state must lobby the Local Legislation Committee of the state legislature to get simple local policies such as waste disposal to land use zoning.
Alabama is an alcoholic beverage control state; the government holds a monopoly on the sale of alcohol. However, counties can declare themselves "dry"; the state does not sell alcohol in those areas.
State politics
The current governor of the state is Bob Riley. The lieutenant governor is Jim Folsom Jr. The Democratic Party currently holds a large majority in both houses of the Legislature. Due to the Legislature's power to override a gubernatorial veto by a mere simple majority (most state Legislatures require a 2/3 majority to override a veto), the relationship between the executive and legislative branches can be easily strained when different parties control both branches.
During Reconstruction following the American Civil War, Alabama was occupied by federal troops of the Third Military District under General John Pope. In 1874, the political coalition known as the Redeemers took control of the state government from the Republicans. After 1890, a coalition of whites passed laws to segregate and disenfranchise black residents. The state became part of the "Solid South," a one-party system in which the Democratic Party became essentially the only political party in every Southern state. For nearly 100 years, local and state elections in Alabama were decided in the Democratic Party primary, with generally no Republican challenger running in the General Election. It was not until the 1980s that Republicans began to successfully challenge and win elections in local and state offices.
Alabama state politics gained nationwide and international attention in the 1950s and 1960s during the American Civil Rights Movement, when it bureaucratically, and at times, violently resisted protests for electoral and social reform. The state's governor during the period, George Wallace, remains a notorious and controversial figure. However, in 2007, the Alabama legislature passed, and the Governor signed, a resolution expressing "profound regret" over slavery and its lingering impact. The bill was signed in the Alabama state house which served as the first Capital of the Confederate States of America.[46]
Federal politics
Year | Republican | Democrat |
---|---|---|
2004 | 62.46% 1,176,394 | 36.84% 693,933 |
2000 | 56.47% 944,409 | 41.59% 695,602 |
1996 | 50.12% 769,044 | 43.16% 662,165 |
1992 | 47.65% 804,283 | 40.88% 690,080 |
1988 | 59.17% 815,576 | 39.86% 549,506 |
1984 | 60.54% 872,849 | 38.28% 551,899 |
1980 | 48.75% 654,192 | 47.45% 636,730 |
1976 | 42.61% 504,070 | 55.73% 659,170 |
1972 | 72.43% 728,701 | 25.54% 256,923 |
1968* | 13.99% 146,923 | 18.72% 196,579 |
1964 | 69.45% 479,085 | 30.55% 210,732 |
1960 | 42.16% 237,981 | 56.39% 318,303 |
*State won by George Wallace of the American Independent Party, at 65.86%, or 691,425 votes |
From 1876 through 1956, Alabama supported only Democratic presidential candidates, by large margins. 1960 was a curious election; the Democrats won with John F. Kennedy on the ballot, but the Democratic electors gave 6 of their 11 electoral votes as a protest to Harry Byrd. In 1964, Republican Barry Goldwater carried the state. In the 1968 presidential election, Alabama supported native son and American Independent Party candidate George Wallace over both Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. In 1976, Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter carried the state, the region, and the nation, but Democratic control of the region slipped thereafter. Since 1980, the Republican party has become increasingly dominant in Alabama's federal elections. In local politics, by contrast, Democrats still control many offices, such as their large and long standing majority in the Alabama Legislature.
In 2004, George W. Bush won Alabama's nine electoral votes by a margin of 25 percentage points with 62.5% of the vote. The only 11 counties voting Democratic were Black Belt counties, where African Americans are in the majority.
The state's two current U.S. senators are Jefferson B. Sessions III and Richard C. Shelby, both from the Republican Party.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the state is represented by seven members, five of whom are Republicans (Jo Bonner, Terry Everett, Mike D. Rogers, Robert Aderholt, and Spencer Bachus) and two Democrats (Bud Cramer and Artur Davis).
- Further information: U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Alabama
The Federal government's role in Alabama's fiscal policies
Although Alabama politics is influenced on people who identify themselves as fiscal conservatives with Medicaid and other programs for low-income groups are often cut or eliminated; Alabama is highly dependent on the federal government and on donor states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California for its fiscal well-being. In Fiscal year 2004 , Alabama gave $21.1 Billion dollars to the Federal government but received $39 Billion dollars link Amount of Money given and returned to the Federal Government by states . This means that for every $1 dollar Alabama taxpayers give to the Federal government they get $1.71 back. This is very similar to Mississippi's situation.
This means that Alabama is one of the highest benefactors of the Federal Government. Critics of Alabama politics point out that Alabama should take advantage of federal spending by increasing Medicaid spending for example, if Alabama were to spend $1 on Medicaid , then federal government would give them $3.50 for every dollar spent link Study of imbalance of payments to the Federal Government and what states do or don't do. In contrast , if New York spends $1 on Medicaid, the federal government would only give them $1. This is in part because Medicaid funding formulas are based on per capita income and not the number of people who live in poverty. This policy has been criticized by politicians such as Senator Dianne Feinstein who's state has a large number of people living in poverty link and has been pointed out by the General Accounting Office link Medicaid Matching Funds Study.
Thus, U.S states such as Alabama stand to lose the most if the federal taxation system is done away with or eliminated as suggested by people who identify themselves as anti-tax fiscal conservatives. This does not mean or suggest that all conservative politicians support this policy as some conservatives view this policy as harming goal of economic prosperity of a state . An example of such as New Mexico which is a high benefit state like Alabama receiving $2 back for every $1 given to the federal government where some conservatives view this as harfmul link Rio Grande Foundation criticism of this policy (conservative-free market-libertarian). However despite politicians rhetoric and criticism of the current federal taxation system it is only true that Alabama stands to lose a lot if it weren't for the federal government. This also dispels the myth that federal government robs all U.S. states of their money when in fact certain states have the most to gain. As a result Alabama has a low tax burden although some organizations rank it more as middle of the pack. link Alabama tax burden. Alabama is different then Mississippi as its sales tax is lower (up to 4% rather than 7%), however Alabama has a grocery tax just like Mississippi which people view as harmful to low income families Getting no Grocery tax relief
Health and education
Primary and secondary education
Public primary and secondary education in Alabama is under the oversight of the Alabama State Board of Education as well as local oversight by 67 county school boards and 60 city boards of education. Together, 1,541 individual schools provide education for 743,364 elementary and secondary students. [47]
Public school funding is appropriated through the Alabama Legislature through the Education Trust Fund. In FY 2006-2007, Alabama appropriated $3,775,163,578 for primary and secondary education. That represented an increase of $444,736,387 over the previous fiscal year. [47]
In 2007, over 82 percent of schools made adequate yearly progress (AYP)toward student proficiency under the National No Child Left Behind law. In 2004, only 23 percent of schools met AYP. [48]
Colleges and universities
Alabama's program of higher education includes 14 four-year public universities, numerous two-year community colleges and 17 private, undergraduate and graduate universities. Public, post-secondary education in Alabama is overseen by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Colleges and universities in Alabama offer degree programs from 2 year associate degrees to 16 doctoral level programs. [49]
Accreditation of academic programs is through the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges as well as a variety of subject focused national and international accreditation agencies.[50]
Professional Sports teams
Club | Sport | League |
---|---|---|
Birmingham Barons | Baseball | Southern League |
Huntsville Stars | Baseball | Southern League |
Mobile BayBears | Baseball | Southern League |
Montgomery Biscuits | Baseball | Southern League |
Birmingham Steeldogs | Arena football | af2 |
Tennessee Valley Vipers | Arena football | af2 |
Huntsville Havoc | Ice hockey | Southern Professional Hockey League |
Birmingham Magicians | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
Southern Alabama Bounce | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
Alabama Renegades | Football | National Women's Football Association |
Birmingham Stallions (defunct) | Football | United States Football League |
Birmingham Americans/Vulcans (defunct) | Football | World Football League |
Birmingham Barracudas (defunct) | Football | Canadian Football League |
Birmingham Fire (defunct) | Football | World League of American Football |
Birmingham Thunderbolts (defunct) | Football | XFL |
Birmingham Bulls (defunct) | Ice Hockey | World Hockey Association |
Huntsville Channel Cats (defunct) | Ice Hockey | Southern Hockey League |
Miscellaneous topics
- The phrase The Heart of Dixie (originating from Montgomery being the first capital of the Confederate States during the Civil War) is required by state law to be included on standard state vehicle license plates, but has recently been reduced to a very small size and eclipsed by the phrase Stars Fell on Alabama. As of October 2006, Alabama also provides an alternative "God Bless America" license plate at no additional charge.[51] Both plates are considered the standard plate for the state.[52]
- The world's first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery in 1886.[citation needed]
- 911 and its use as the standard emergency number was invented and first used in Haleyville, Alabama.[citation needed]
See also
- Alabama census statistical areas
- Alabama Highway Patrol
- Coat of arms of Alabama
- List of people from Alabama
- Music of Alabama
- Scouting in Alabama
- Historical Panorama of Alabama Agriculture
- List of law enforcement agencies in Alabama
Cultural sites
- Alabama Shakespeare Festival
- Alabama Symphony Orchestra
- The Alabama Theatre
- Birmingham Astronomical Society
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Birmingham Museum of Art
- McWane Science Center
- Old State Bank
- Rhea-McEntire House
- USS Alabama
- U.S. Space & Rocket Center/U.S. Space Camp Huntsville
- Vulcan Park
Events
- Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic
- Alabama Sports Festival
- Bayfest, Mobile's Music Festival
- Big Spring Jam
- City Stages Music Festival, Birmingham
- GMAC Bowl
- Jubilee City Fest
- Mardi Gras, Mobile
- Mobile Bay Jubilee
- Papajohns.com Bowl (formerly the Birmingham Bowl)
- Regions Charity Classic (formerly the Bruno's Memorial Classic)
- Senior Bowl
- Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival
- Spirit of America Festival
Venues
- , Montevallo
- Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham
- Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
- Fair Park Arena, Birmingham
- Hank Aaron Stadium, Mobile
- Joe W. Davis Stadium, Huntsville
- Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
- Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile
- Legion Field, Birmingham
- McWane Science Center, Birmingham
- Mitchell Center, Mobile
- , Mobile
- Mobile Civic Center, Mobile
- Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, Montgomery
- Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium, Troy
- Point Mallard Aquatic Center, Decatur
- Regions Park, Hoover
- Rickwood Field, Birmingham
- Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
- Talladega Superspeedway and the The International Motorsports Hall of Fame & Museum
- Von Braun Center, Huntsville
References
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Alabama, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (CSV). 2007 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (June 28, 2007). Retrieved on June 28, 2007.
- ^ a b c Elevations and Distances in the United States. U.S Geological Survey (29 April 2005). Retrieved on 3 November, 2006.
- ^ census.gov Alabama Quick Facts. State and County Quick Facts. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
- ^ a b c Read, William A. (1984). Indian Place Names in Alabama. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0231-X.
- ^ a b c Rogers, William W.; Robert D. Ward, Leah R. Atkins, Wayne Flynt (1994). Alabama: The History of a Deep South State. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0712-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Alabama: The State Name. All About Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ a b Wills, Charles A. (1995). A Historical Album of Alabama. The Millbrook Press. ISBN 1-56294-591-2.
- ^ Griffith, Lucille (1972). Alabama: A Documentary History to 1900. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0371-5.
- ^ Weiss, Sonia (1999). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Names. Mcmillan USA. ISBN 0-02-863367-9.
- ^ a b Swanton, John R. (1953). "The Indian Tribes of North America". Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 145: 153-174. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ a b Swanton, John R. (1937). "Review of Read, Indian Place Names of Alabama". American Speech (12): 212-215.
- ^ GCT-PH1-R. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density (geographies ranked by total population): 2000. Geographic Comparison Table. US Census Bureau (Census Year 2000). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ a b c The Geography of Alabama. Geography of the States. NetState.com (2006-08-11). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ National Park Guide. Geographic Search. National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ Alabama County (geographies ranked by total population) date= Census year 2000. Geographic Comparison Table. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-05-14.
- ^ "Wetumpka Impact Crater" Wetumpka Public Library, accessed Aug. 21, 2007.
- ^ "Wetumpka Impact Crater" Wetumpka Public Library, accessed Aug. 21, 2007.
- ^ "The Wetumpka Astrobleme" by John C. Hall, Alabama Heritage, Fall 1996, Number 42.
- ^ "Wetumpka Impact Crater" Wetumpka Public Library, accessed Aug. 21, 2007.
- ^ "Alabama Climate,"Encyclopedia Britannica, Retrieved May 7, 2007
- ^ "Alabama Climate,"Encyclopedia Britannica, Retrieved May 7, 2007
- ^ Lightning Fatalities, Injuries and Damages in the United States, 1990-2003, [1] Retrieved 8 May 2007
- ^ Tornadoproject.com, Fujita scale. Retrieved 3 September 2007
- ^ Alabama Indian Tribes. Indian Tribal Records. AccessGenealogy.com (Updated 2006). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ Alabama. The New York Times Almanac 2004. The New York Times (2006-08-11). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ Alabama State History. theUS50.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ AL-Alabama. Landscapes and History by state. StateMaster.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ a b c The Black Belt. Southern Spaces Internet Journal. Emory University (2004-04-19). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865). Historical Documents. HistoricalDocuments.com (2005). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ Voting Rights. Civil Rights: Law and History. US Department of Justice (2002-01-09). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ The New South Rises, Again. Civil Rights: Law and History. Southerner.net (Spring 1999). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ Alabama QuickFacts from the US CEnsus Bureau. US Census Bureau. US Census Bureau (2006-06-08). Retrieved on 2006-09-26.
- ^ http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt.
- ^ Campbell, Kirsten. "Alabama rates well in biblical literacy", Mobile Register, Advance Publications, Inc., 2007-03-25, p. A1. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
- ^ Confidence in State and Local Institutions Survey (English). Capital Survey Research Center.
- ^ White, David. "Poll says we feel good about state Trust in government, unlike some institutions, hasn't fallen", Birmingham News, Birmingham News, 2007-04-01, p. 13A. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
- ^ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, 2005 (HTML). Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
- ^ United States Census Bureau (HTML). State and County Quick Facts. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
- ^ Alabama and CBER: 75 Years of Change. Alabama Business. Center for Business and Economic Research, Culverhouse College of Commerce, The University of Alabama (Q4 2005). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ State Highlights for 2004-2005. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. USDA, NASS, Alabama Statistical Office (2005). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
- ^ "ThyssenKrupp's Alabama incentive package tops $811 million", Press register, 2007-05-11. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
- ^ http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sl_sales.html Comparison of State and Local Retail Sales Taxes, July 2004 Retrieved on 25 May 2007
- ^ Alabama State Local Tax Burden Compared to U.S. Average (1970-2007) (PDF). Tax Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
- ^ Roig-Franzia, Manuel. "Alabama Vote Opens Old Racial Wounds", The Washington Post, 2004-11-28. Retrieved on 2006-09-22.
- ^ Constitution of Alabama - 1901. The Alabama Legislative Information System. Retrieved on 2006-09-22.
- ^ Rawls, Phillip. "Alabama offers an apology for slavery", The Virginian Pilot, Landmark Communications. Retrieved on 2007-06-02. (English)
- ^ a b Alabama Education Quick Facts 2007 (PDF) (english). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Eighty-Two Percent of Alabama Schools Make AYP While Increasing Annual Measurable Objectives (PDF) (english). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ [www.ache.state.al.us/Acadaffr/ProInv/Degreeabbr.htm Degree titles and abbreviations] (english). Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
- ^ [www.ache.state.al.us/Colleges&Universities/Accreditation/index.htm Accreditation] (english). Alabama Commission on Higher Education..
- ^ Matt Dischinger. 'God Bless America' license plate debuts in October, offers new option for drivers. Retrieved on 2006-11-09.
- ^ New God Bless America License Plate.
Further reading
- For a detailed bibliography, see the History of Alabama.
- Atkins, Leah Rawls, Wayne Flynt, William Warren Rogers, and David Ward. Alabama: The History of a Deep South State (1994)
- Flynt, Wayne. Alabama in the Twentieth Century (2004)
- Owen Thomas M. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography 4 vols. 1921.
- Jackson, Harvey H. Inside Alabama: A Personal History of My State (2004)
- Mohl, Raymond A. "Latinization in the Heart of Dixie: Hispanics in Late-twentieth-century Alabama" Alabama Review 2002 55(4): 243-274. ISSN 0002-4341
- Peirce, Neal R. The Deep South States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Seven Deep South States (1974). Information on politics and economics 1960–72.
- Williams, Benjamin Buford. A Literary History of Alabama: The Nineteenth Century 1979.
- WPA. Guide to Alabama (1939)
External links
Find more information on Alabama by searching Wikipedia's sister projects | |
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Learning resources from Wikiversity |
- Alabama.gov - Official website.
- Alabama Association of Regional Councils
- TourAlabama.org - Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel
- Archives.state.al.us - Alabama Department of Archives and History
- All About Alabama at the Archives Department site
- AlabamaMosaic, a digital repository of materials on Alabama's history, culture, places, and people
- Alabama National Guard - Alabama National Guard
- Code of Alabama 1975 - at the Alabama Legislature site
- Alabama at the Open Directory Project
- USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Alabama
- Alabama QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau
- Alabama State Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Alabama State Parks
- National Parks of Alabama
- The U. S. Space and Rocket Center Huntsville
- Business Alabama magazine
- Mobile Bay Monthly magazine
- Wayne Flynt." Regions of Alabama Southern Spaces October 3 2005.
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