Nebraska

Nebraska is a midwestern State of the United States. Nebraska gets its name from a Native American word meaning "flat water", after the Platte River[?] that flows through the State. Once considered part of the Great American Desert[?], it is now a leading farming state. Nebraskans have practiced scientific farming to turn the Nebraska prairie into a land of ranches and farms. Much of the history of the State is the story of the impact of the Nebraska farmer.

History The Kansas-Nebraska Act became law on May 30, 1854 which established the US territories[?] of Nebraska and Kansas.

In the 1860s, the first great wave of homesteaders poured into Nebraska to claim free land granted by the federal government. Many of the first farm settlers built their homes out of sod[?] because they found so few trees on the grassy land.

Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867, shortly after the Civil War.

Arbor Day began in Nebraska. The National Arbor Day Foundation is still headquartered in Nebraska City.

Law and Government

Nebraska is the only state in the United States with a unicameral legislature, that is a legislature with only one house. Although this house is known simply as he "Legislature", its members still call themselves "Senators".

Geography

Nebraska is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa and Missouri to the east, across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwest, and Wyoming to the west. The largest city in Nebraska is Omaha, and the capital is Lincoln. The state has 92 counties; see List of Nebraska counties.

In regional terms, Nebraska is located in the Great Plains, at the westernmost extent of the Grain Belt. The eastern portion of the State can be considered part of the "Midwest", while the western and central portions are part of the "West", although the distinction between these regions is somewhat fluid. Indeed, one of Nebraska's mottos is "Where the West begins", and a local legend even has it that the West begins precisely at the intersection of 13th and O Streets in Lincoln (where it is marked by a red brick star).

Economy

Nebraska is known for its agriculture, especially beef and corn (aka maize).

Demographics

Nebraska's population as of 2000 is 1,711,263.

Important Cities and Towns

Education

Colleges and Universities

Sports Teams

• Nebraska Cornhuskers, college football
• Omaha Royals[?], minor league baseball

Miscellaneous Information

The USS Nebraska was named in honor of this State.

Nebraska is also the name of a 1982 album by Bruce Springsteen, widely considered one of his best.

Further Reading

• Chokecherry Places, Essays from the High Plains, Merrill Gilfillan, Johnson Press, Boulder, Colorado, trade paperback, ISBN 1-55566-227-7.

External Links

• http://www.state.ne.us - Official government web site