The Territory of Iowa was established by the Congress of the United States in 1838 and on December 28, 1846 Iowa was admitted to the Union as its 29th state. Iowa's state song, "The Song of Iowa" set to the tune of O Tanenbaum, was adopted by the State Legislature in 1911.

"You asked what land I love the best, tis Iowa, tis Iowa, The fairest State of all the west, tis Iowa, O! Iowa."

Iowa's state bird is the American Goldfinch, the state flower the Prairie rose, and the state tree the Bur oak.