Here’s How Every State in America Got Its Name

Alabama: Land of vegetarians?

The state of Alabama is named after the river which European explorers named after a local Native American tribe, according to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Historians believe the tribe name is a portmanteau combining Alba (vegetation) and Amo (gatherer), which makes sense since the native Americans cleared a lot of the land in the state to grow vegetables. While the origin is debatable, here is a fun fact about Alabama: It’s the only state whose official drink is an alcoholic beverage.

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