| The state of Texas is famous for having the biggest and best of everything. |
| Before Alaska became a state, Texas was the largest American state. |
| It was also famous for its huge cattle ranches. |
| Cotton is a major crop, but much of the wealth comes from oil and gas. |
| People think of Texans as being wealthy because there have been lots of cattle and oil millionaires. |
| In the late nineteenth century, Texas cattlemen used to drive their herds north to Kansas. |
| There a train to the east shipped the cows. |
| Eventually, the railroad came to Texas and the great cattle drive stopped. |
| By then, many Texans owned large ranches and were quite wealthy. |
| In the twentieth century, oil has made many Texans wealthy. |
| Oil refining has led to chemical industries and synthetic products. |
| Most Texans now live in cities. |
| Many oil companies have their headquarters in Dallas. |
| Other large manufacturing cities are Houston, Corpus Christi, |
| Fort Worth and Austin, which is the Capital of Texas. |
| Several cities, such as San Antonio and El Paso, have a strong Spanish influence. |
| This dates back to the first Spanish visitors in the sixteenth century. |
| The old mission at San Antonio is famous as the Alamo, |
| where an important battle for Texas independence was fought. |
| Texas is a huge area with mountains, deserts, prairies, rivers and islands. |
| The rugged beauty of its grasslands and deserts attracts many tourists. |
| For a state that is mostly dry, Texas has a remarkable variety of wildflowers in the spring. |
| Its animals and birds differ from other parts of the U.S.A. |
| Texas has the armored insect eater, the Armadillo; |
| the swift running bird, the Roadrunner; prairie dogs, jackrabbits, |
| kangaroo rats, wild pigs, horned lizards, and 100 species of snakes! |
| As might be expected also, it has many beautiful kinds of cacti and other desert plants. |
| At its largest, Texas is more than 600 miles wide by 600 miles long. |
| Such a large area develops a distinct culture of its own. |
| And Texans are widely recognized by their accent and manner of speaking, |
| their attitudes and interests and their sense of independence and self-reliance. |
| Texas is also known for its beautiful women, who regularly win national beauty contests. |
| Its men have a reputation for being rugged, |
| for not talking more than they have to and for being straightforward and honest. |
| Although many people think of cowboys and Indians when they think of Texas, it is a center for high-tech industries. |
| The American space program has its headquarters in Houston, and Mission Control Center is there. |
| Texas is also an important manufacturer of computers and other high-tech products. |
| Oil production is still important in Texas, but it ranks third as a source of revenue behind manufacturing and tourism. |
| The colorful history of Texas and its wonderful scenery contribute to a thriving tourist industry. |
| Texas is also an important business and financial area. |
| Yes, even though times have changed, |
| Texans proudly maintain that their state still has the biggest and best of everything. |
