Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, and New Mexico to the west.

The Northern Mockingbird was adopted as the Texas state bird in 1927. The Mockingbird can sing up to 200 songs including the songs of other birds and sounds from insects and amphibians.

Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States. San Antonio is the second-most populous city in the state, followed by Dallas and Austin.

The Capitol's exterior is clad entirely in a unique pink granite, known as "Texas pink."

Texas is nicknamed the "Lone Star State" for its former status as an independent republic, and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico.

Santa Anna's Mexican army killed virtually all of the roughly 200 Texans defending the Alamo, including their leaders, Colonels William B. Travis and James Bowie, and the legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett. Daniel Boone, an American pioneer, explorer, woodsman, and frontiersman, died in 1820, sixteen years before the Alamo.

The Battle of the Alamo took place at a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now San Antonio. Santa Anna's cruelty during the battle inspired many to join the Texan Army which, buoyed by a desire for revenge, defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836.

Texas designated the bluebonnet as the official state flower in 1901. During the spring Texas wildflowers, including the bluebonnet, line highways throughout Texas.

The term "Don't Mess with Texas" originated as a slogan for an anti-littering campaign launched in 1986 by the Texas Department of Transportation in an effort to combat the growing litter problem along highways and roads in the state. The slogan quickly gained popularity and became a cultural phenomenon, evolving into a symbol of Texas identity and a catchphrase representing the state's strong and independent spirit.

"Six flags over Texas" is the slogan used to describe the six nations that have claimed sovereignty over some or all of the current territory of Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America.