The cardinal is 8 inches tall with red feathers. It lives at the edges of woods and in neighborhoods with lots of vegetation. It has a loud whistle as a song. The cardinal is quite abundant in Illinois.  The cardinal is important in the state of Illinois because it is found everywhere and its red feathers make it easy to recognize, especially in the wintertime. The cardinal became the state bird of Illinois in 1920.   


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The native violet is 3 to 8 inches tall with violet (purple) petals. Its habitat is in woodlands, meadows, and wastelands.  The native violet is known for having petals you can eat!  As a matter of fact, the petals are often covered in sugar! They are sometimes used for cake decorations. It is also used for perfume and candy flavorings. The native violet became the state flower of Illinois in 1908.   

The white oak tree is about 100 feet tall with green leaves. It grows from Maine to Minnesota, from southern to eastern Texas, and in northern Florida. The white oak tree is known for being the type of wood that was used to build the famous battleship the U.S.S. Constitution. The white oak tree is important in the state of Illinois because it produces acorns, and they are very important to wildlife when their food is scarce. It is also great crafting wood, so you can make items out of it, such as hardwood flooring, whiskey barrels, and boats. The white oak tree became the state tree of Illinois in 1973.

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The Illinois flag has a white background with a picture of an eagle and a boulder in the middle.  The eagle is a symbol of the U.S.  There is also a banner with the words “State Sovereignty National Union.”  These words appear on the banner in the eagle’s mouth.  The words are the state motto.  The motto means that Illinois governs itself under the U.S.  There is also a picture of a shield in the eagle’s claws.  The shield has 13 stars and 13 stripes on it.  This is a symbol of the first 13 colonies.  Then you will see a sunrise over the prairie.  This is a symbol of the promise of a bright future.  The Illinois flag was adopted in 1915.    
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