Kentucky Symbols
4 Pillars of Social Studies
Continents
Oceans
Historically Famous People
100

This bright red songbird has been Kentucky's official state bird since 1926.

What is the Northern Cardinal?

100

This pillar focuses on studying past events, historical figures, and how human societies change over time.

 What is History?

100

Spanning over 17 million square miles, this is the largest continent on Earth by both land area and population.

What is Asia?

100

Covering over 30% of the Earth's surface, this body of water is both the largest and deepest ocean on the planet.

What is the Pacific Ocean?

100

Commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, he became the first president of the United States.

Who is George Washington?

200

Kentucky's official state horse breed, famous for competing in the annual Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

What is the Thoroughbred?

200

Maps, landforms, ecosystems, and human interaction with physical environments fall under this pillar.

What is Geography?

200

Covered almost entirely in ice, this southernmost continent has no permanent human population.

What is Antarctica?

200

This ocean separates the continents of North and South America from Europe and Africa.

What is the Atlantic Ocean?

200

Serving as the 16th U.S. president during the Civil War, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to free enslaved people in Confederate states.

Who is Abraham Lincoln?

300

Written by Stephen Foster, this ballad is the official state song of Kentucky, traditionally played before the Kentucky Derby.

What is "My Old Kentucky Home"?

300

This pillar explores civic rights, political structures, lawmaking, and the duties of citizenship within a society.

What is Civics (or Government)?

300

Home to both the Nile River and the Sahara Desert, this is the second-largest continent in the world.

What is Africa?

300

Encircling the North Pole, this is the smallest and shallowest of the five world oceans.

What is the Arctic Ocean?

300

This civil rights leader delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington.

Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?

400

Displayed on the Kentucky state seal and flag, this six-word phrase serves as the official state motto.

What is "United we stand, divided we fall"?

400

Scarcity, trade, market systems, financial choices, and supply and demand are key topics within this pillar.

What is Economics?

400

The Ural Mountains serve as the traditional land border separating Asia from this continent to its west.

What is Europe?

400

Bounded by Asia to the north and Africa to the west, this ocean is named after a South Asian peninsula.

What is the Indian Ocean?

400

This polymath Founding Father published Poor Richard's Almanack, invented the lightning rod, and helped negotiate the 1783 Treaty of Paris.

Who is Benjamin Franklin?

500

Producing bright yellow flowers in late summer, this plant was named Kentucky's official state flower in 1926.

What is the Goldenrod?

500

The shared set of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and arts that characterize a specific group of people or society.  Your way of life.

What is Culture?

500

Containing 12 independent nations, this continent is home to the Amazon Rainforest and the Andes mountain range.

What is South America?

500

Officially recognized by geographic bodies as the fifth global ocean, it completely surrounds the continent of Antarctica.

What is the Southern Ocean (or Antarctic Ocean)?

500

The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, this 3rd U.S. president orchestrated the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the nation.

Who is Thomas Jefferson?